Tis the Season
by Mistressjessica1028
Summary: A reworking of the events that happened post Season 4 with a holiday twist. It has been about six weeks since Sookie walked away from Eric and Bill. Eric has tried to move on, but cannot let go of the woman who has stolen his thousand-year old heart. He uses the spirit of the Christmas season to help him woo Sookie back. E/S
1. Blue Christmas

"Here's the information you requested," Pam says strolling through the door of Eric's office without knocking. Eric is seated behind his desk going over invoices and receipts for the bar. He is struggling to enter all the information necessary in the bookkeeping software that Pam insisted would make their lives easier when it came to running the bar. What would make their lives easier would be to have a competent bar manager. Unfortunately, none of their current employees have the brains to undertake such an endeavor. Eric knows of one person he would like to offer the job to, but he has not spoken to her in over one month.

"Leave it on the desk," Eric says without looking up from his task. He may be speaking to his progeny, but he has not forgiven her for the actions that put his beloved in harm's way. The tension between the two vampires is palpable. Even the bar patrons have noticed a sense of unease hanging over the club. Eric has been more surly than usual since returning to the bar after having been cursed by the necromancer and Pam has an even shorter fuse when it comes to dealing with the vermin. Of course, the fangbangers love the added sense of danger; it only adds to the mystique of Fangtasia.

Pam sets the folder on the edge of the desk, but then hesitates before leaving the office. Eric stops what he is doing to glance at his errant child with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Pam sighs heavily before saying what's been on her mind for days. "It's been over a month since Sookie ended things with both you and Bill. She's made no effort to call you or come here to see you. You've never been one to go chasing after a woman; you let them come to you. So get the fuck over it!"

"You forget your place Pamela," Eric says coldly. "What I do is none of your fucking business!"

Pam flinches and backs up a step from the force of his anger. Blood tears pool in her eyes because of the cold demeanor which her adored maker has given her. Any other time, Pam would have argued with Eric, but she honestly does not know how he will react if she does. Since she fired the rocket launcher at Sookie, Eric has treated Pam as if she were his enemy. He keeps her at arm's length; never confiding in her and only speaking to her when necessary. In all their years together, Eric has never treated her this way. As the chasm widens between her and her maker, Pam is finally beginning to see how much Sookie Stackhouse means to him. She had thought it was because he wanted to fuck her and drink her blood. Pam knew by the way that both Eric and Sookie smelled that Eric had done both while in his memory-less state. With the restoration of his memories, Pam thought he would finally move on from the gash in the sundress. But he hasn't; he's become a lovesick fool. He has not partaken in any of the willing donors that throw themselves at him nightly, nor has he gone hunting for his own dinner and entertainment. Every night he sits on his throne until storming back to his office to take care of paperwork. The only blood he consumes either comes in a bag or in a bottle. Pam cannot ever remember her maker going more than a month without sex, and he only ever drank bagged blood when necessary. As for True Blood . . . Eric had always said the blood of goats would taste better than the shit sold in a bottle. Yet he drinks it every night without complaint. Not even Bill Compton was this pathetic when it came to moping over Sookie Stackhouse. Pam knew for a fact that while he publicly moped over the fairy hybrid, he was feeding and fucking from every donor on his staff.

Pam lowers her head meekly as a sign of respect. "Forgive me Master, but I worry for you. Since you have recovered from the necromancer's spell, you have not been yourself."

"And how am I supposed to act Pam?" Eric cocks his head to the side and raises an eyebrow daring her to answer. His tone is mocking as he continues. "Should I go out there and feed and fuck from every patron in the bar? Would that make you happy? Or would you prefer if I go out there and slaughter them all as I long to do so I will never have to see their pathetic, desperate bodies or smell their foul stench ever again? Is that what you want from me?"

"I want you to be happy," Pam says softly.

Eric slumps back in his chair defeated. "I would have been happier if the necromancer's curse had never been lifted. Then I could have stayed with Sookie," he whispers.

Pam's expression turns horrified. "You don't mean that," she declares emphatically.

Eric looks at his only progeny with deadened eyes. "I do mean it. Sookie wasn't afraid to show her affections for me when I was without my memories. She cared for me; kept me safe . . . she loved me. We began a blood bond the day the necromancer tried to have us all walk in the sun. But the moment I was myself again, she ran scared from me. So why would I wish to stay like this when the woman I love isn't by my side?"

"You really love her," Pam says with wonder in her voice. She knows her maker is capable of love; he showed love for his maker and has shown love for her, but she never thought he could love a human. Well, half human in this case . . .

"It doesn't matter," Eric sighs and closes his eyes, leaning his head back against the top of his chair.

"Yes, it does matter," Pam says firmly. "You are Eric fucking Northman, a Viking vampire god! You do not sit there defeated, wallowing in self-pity. Go out there and take what you want!"

"In case you haven't noticed Pamela, Sookie wants nothing to do with me. So tell me, how exactly am I supposed to go get her? I'm open to suggestions," Eric says tiredly.

"Dear Abby says that it is normal to feel shy, awkward, and nervous when admitting you love someone," Pam intones. "She also says that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Dear Abby has written several columns stating that some of the easiest ways to tell someone you love them is through a letter or gift."

"Gifts?" Eric perks up and glances at the calendar at the bottom of his computer screen; December 11, two weeks until Christmas. "What's that ridiculous song that talks about giving the most ridiculous gifts to one's true love?" His fingers begin flying rapidly over the keyboard, and he clicks the mouse repeatedly in frustration; Apple has yet to come out with a computer that moves at vamp speed.

"How the fuck should I know?" Pam opens the office door and calls for Ginger. The overly-glamoured barmaid comes rushing in the room, trying to adjust her clothing so she looks appealing to Eric. He doesn't bother to acknowledge her presence; Pam is the one who asks Ginger about the Christmas song Eric is looking for.

"You mean the _Twelve Days of Christmas_? I can sing it for you if you like," Ginger says excitedly. She clears her throat and opens her mouth to begin singing.

"Thank you Ginger; that will be all," Eric says dismissively. Ginger's expression falls and she scurries out of the office. Eric meanwhile gazes at his computer screen intently; Google and Wikipedia give him the information he seeks.

"Hmmm, this says I am supposed to begin giving the gifts starting on Christmas, and it culminates on January 6. That won't do at all," he mutters. Eric's crystal clear blue eyes scan the computer screen quickly. "Why the fuck would I give her ten lords-a-leaping or four calling birds? Who the fuck came up with these gifts?!"

Pam moves around his desk so she can skim the information her maker is looking at. She rolls her eyes because she knows he failed to read all the information provided; typical man, he never reads all the directions. "The song originated in the eighteenth century. Obviously, you cannot be expected to give the same type of gifts today. Sookie obviously does not have need of eight-maids-a-milking, though I'm fairly certain there is something of yours she can milk," Pam says with a smirk.

"Sex isn't enough to win Sookie back," Eric reminds Pam. "I need to show her that I value her."

"Tiffany's and Cartier are highly valued," Pam says with an excited gleam in her eye.

"Tiffany's and Cartier may mean something to you," Eric says with a smirk, "but they mean nothing to Sookie. The gifts I give to her should come from the heart; they need to show that I know her and what she values. They need to show I understand her."

"Great, so you'll be giving her Wal-Mart sundresses and first aid kits because of how often she's in danger," Pam says with a roll of her eyes. "Good luck with that." She spins on her Jimmy Choo's and sashays back out of the office to find her nightly meal. It is nights like these that Pam misses Yvetta. Granted, she was a thieving cunt that had stolen their money and silvered Pam, but she tasted better than the average fangbanger and would do anything sexually. Uninhibited breathers are hard to come by.

Eric ignores the words of his progeny and continues to search for gifts to show the woman he desires above all others that he truly loves her and wants to be with her. Even though danger from the necromancer and _King Bill_ had lurked over their heads, the days with Sookie had been some of the most tranquil he had ever known. They were able to simply be Eric and Sookie. It wasn't about the Sheriff of Area Five and the telepath, or the vampire and the fairy; it was a time where two people were getting to know each other and falling in love. Thinking back over that time is bittersweet for Eric. Being loved by Sookie and loving her in return had been an unparalleled ecstasy that had infused every inch of his undead body with warmth and light. To have her turn from him, even after admitting she loved him, had been the deepest of desolations; the only pain he had ever known that hurt as much was losing Godric. Oh he had tried to bury that pain; in fact, he'd tried to fuck it right out of his system.

_Flashback_

She'd left him. He couldn't believe it. Eric had been so sure that with Bill bowing out of the race for Sookie's affections that she would turn to him with open arms. Instead, Sookie told him that their chance had already passed. She had walked out the front door. Eric could hear her heartbroken sobs from the other side of the door as he stood frozen in place in Bill's office. His mind was racing and the strangest feeling was sweeping through his body, like he was going to have a panic attack. Eric vaguely heard a telephone ringing over the roaring in his ears. Rage was fighting a battle with grief inside him, and the feeling left him spiraling out of control. He wanted to lash out and attack something. Fortunately, the King of Louisiana provided him with a welcome distraction.

"Nan Flanagan is on her way here to discuss the events that occurred at the Festival of Tolerance," Bill Compton, the King of Louisiana, states.

"It's not my problem," Eric says dismissively.

"In case you've forgotten, Nan saw Sookie using her fairy light to stop you from attacking me," Bill says smugly. He thinks Sookie trying to save him is a sign that she still loves him, and despite her words a few short moments ago, he thinks there will be a reconciliation between them. She's never been able to stay away from him; his blood inside her makes certain of that. "Are you sure this doesn't concern you Sheriff?"

"Fuck Sookie," Eric snarls. "She turned her back on us, or were you not paying attention when she walked out of here?" Eric rounds on the self-important fool, ready to attack.

"Would you condemn her to a life of servitude working for The Authority? If Nan knows what Sookie is, she will do anything to acquire her, seeing her as a way to further her own power. For years, I've tried to keep Sookie hidden from Nan's greedy gaze," Bill says solemnly. Eric seethes as he listens to Bill blather on about he has been heroically placing himself between Sookie and Nan; the truth is that Bill has only ever wanted to use Sookie for his own purposes. He doesn't love her; he wants to own her, possess her as a child does a toy, playing with it until it is a dirty, broken, and battered shell of what it once was.

Eric's cell phone ringing interrupts the sanctimonious speech that Bill has been giving. Bill gives Eric a sour look as he answers the phone, clearly displeased by the sheriff's lack of respect for his position.

"Northman," Eric says succinctly.

"Hello Brother," a delicate female voice with a British accent says playfully over the phone.

"Nora," Eric says with a smirk. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?" Eric has not heard from his vampire sister in years. He had tried to contact her after Godric met the sun, but she was unavailable. With their maker gone, Eric could no longer feel Nora. He feared that something had happened to her until he had received word through a mutual acquaintance saying she was well and out of the country. Because Eric could not share his grief over Godric with the one other being that would understand, he had resorted to other measures as an outlet for his pain. Hence Yvetta and the six-hour fuckfest that Sookie had walked in on wearing that hideous lavender dress. That dress should have been a red flag that Compton knew absolutely nothing about Sookie. The pastel purple had done nothing for her complexion, and the dress did not flatter her figure. However, it was exactly the type of dress a demure woman should wear; pastels are also colors that historically unmarried women were supposed to wear. Darker, bolder colors had previously only been reserved for matrons. The dress had been a reflection of how Compton wanted Sookie to appear, not a reflection of who she was. Something that was also clear by the ill-fitting engagement ring Compton had gifted Sookie with. Even from the limited amount of time Eric had spent with her, he knew the gaudy, poor quality diamond was not Sookie. She would prefer an antique piece of jewelry rich in history and not a colorless diamond with nothing to distinguish from any other that can be seen in your run-of-the mill shopping mall jewelry store.

"Nan Flanagan," Nora says with distaste.

"It seems everyone wants to discuss that diseased cunt this evening," Eric says as he stares meaningfully at Bill. "She is on her way to the King of Louisiana's home to discuss something with him this evening. My presence has also been requested at this meeting. Tell me Nora, what does that cold bitch really want?"

"Nan came to The Guardian earlier asking for permission to end you and Compton. She claims the events in Louisiana are due to Compton's ineffective leadership." Bill, having heard every word of the conversation, growls at Nora for calling his monarchy ineffective. Eric raises an eyebrow in challenge as Nora continues speaking, relaying that the only reason The Guardian had abstained from decreeing the True Death for Eric was because of Nora. The Guardian had reminded Nan that Bill was only King of Louisiana because of her insistence. If he was suddenly unfit for the job, then that reflected poorly on her as well.

Eric chuckles drily. "I'm sure that Nan didn't like that."

"She liked it as much as that time Godric commanded you to abstain from all sexual activity for one year," Nora says with a chuckle. Eric scowls as he remembers that incident. How was he supposed to know the woman he'd seduced had been the Gözde (favorite) of the Sultan? For centuries, Eric maintained that he was innocent that time; she had pursued him and not the other way around. It didn't matter; they had been forced to flee when the Sultan sent his guards after Eric. Nora's amusement ends abruptly and her tone becomes full of concern. "Nan told The Guardian she would handle the matter personally. She also said there was something Compton was keeping from The Guardian, something that would be very useful to him. Nan scheduled a follow-up meeting with The Guardian for tomorrow. Do you have any idea what this is about?"

An icy feeling of dread settles over Eric. The bitch means to use Sookie just as Compton feared. Nan Flanagan has signed her own death warrant by threatening Sookie Stackhouse.

"Perhaps," Eric says slowly. "What will The Guardian do if Nan does not deliver this useful object?" Eric needs to know what he is up against. If he has to, he will take Sookie away from this country tonight if that is what it will take to keep her safe. He will deal with her anger at his high-handedness, as she calls it, but he will not compromise on her safety.

Nora considers her words carefully before answering. "The Guardian knows that some things lose their usefulness when they are removed from their natural environment." Eric's eyes widen slightly in horror; The Guardian knows about Sookie! How is that possible? He does not wish to have her commandeered as an asset of The Authority? That sounds highly unlikely. For nearly six hundred years, Roman Zimojic has exploited every possible resource to make sure the continued existence of vampires. Perhaps his bullshit platform of mainstreaming isn't so bullshit after all.

"And what of Nan Flanagan?" If Nora is saying that Sookie can stay here with The Guardian's blessing, then something has to be done about the face of the AVL.

"I believe Nan Flanagan has outlived her usefulness," Nora says in a business-like tone. Eric receives the message loud and clear; he and Compton are to deliver the True Death to Nan Flanagan.

Nora ends the call with her brother, knowing that he will see to the matter at hand. Eric has always been thorough when it comes to eliminating an enemy. Nora cannot recall a time when the prey had escaped the Viking's predatory gaze. Though to be safe, Nora has an ace up her sleeve to ensure her brother's success.

"Did Nan say when she would arrive?" Eric's mind spins with possibilities as he mentally maps Compton's home to assess where his best advantage lies when it comes to dealing with Nan. Undoubtedly, she will have her armed thugs with her. Eric sneers as he thinks of how weak and complacent Nan has become if she thinks a few vampires carrying guns are all she needs to keep her safe. Eric can appreciate modern technology and acknowledges that modern weapons have made it easier for vampires to be killed. However, technology can fail; his fangs and hands have never let him down.

"Two hours," Bill says shortly.

"Then we have an hour," Eric states. Nan will arrive early hoping to catch them unaware and unprepared. "I need to get a new set of clothes. I refuse to deal with Nan Flanagan wearing his and her matching robes," Eric says in disgust. "I shall return in half an hour. I suggest you make yourself look like a king. You need to look strong, not weak and floundering to take control of your kingdom." Bill opens his mouth to protest, but Eric is already out the door, flying to his nearest safe house. Of course, it would have been so much easier if Eric could have gone to the home he owns across the cemetery; he does have clothes hidden in a secret panel within the cubby. But he isn't welcome there, Sookie had made sure of that when she turned her back on him. He had humbled himself in front of Compton for her, letting the faux Southern gentleman see him at his weakest and most vulnerable. He admitted he loved her, that he was still the same vampire she had fallen in love with but she did not want to hear it. She refused to acknowledge that she could love all of him.

"Fuck Sookie," Eric mutters to himself as he flies to his safe house. It's the stinging wind in his eyes that causes a blood tear to escape from his eye not because the only woman he has ever loved shattered his frozen heart.

As Eric predicted, Nan and her entourage arrived an hour early. For once, Bill had done as instructed and was dressed in one of his tailored suits with coordinating shirt and tie. Eric, trying to reclaim his badass persona, wore his usual tight black jeans, ass-kicking black leather boots, and black leather jacket over a t-shirt. He keeps his face impassive as Nan and three of her gay storm troopers stomp their way to Compton's study. Nan stands closest to Bill's desk and her guards form a wall of protection behind her. It takes a thousand years of self-control to keep from shaking his head at the newest additions in the room. Don't they fucking know you never turn your back on your adversary? What the fuck are they thinking to let him get behind them?

Eric lets Nan and Bill bicker back and forth. How he wishes he could be the one to end Nan! Eric ultimately blames Nan for being the push over the edge Godric needed to meet the sun on that hotel rooftop in Dallas. He longs to feel her blood on his hands as he rips her head from her body; it would be a small comfort in the face of the grief that the loss of his maker has created in him. Unfortunately, Compton will have the pleasure of ending Nan if everything goes according to his plan. Compton will have the element of surprise over Nan, while he deals with her guards. The guards outside of the home will prove problematic; Eric prays to his long silent gods that he is successful in his battles tonight. Although part of him wonders if he were to meet the true death, would it be such a bad thing? Godric is gone; Russell is interned in a tomb of concrete. Pam and Nora, while he cares deeply for his progeny and sister, they are not enough to keep him here.

_Sookie_**_,_**__his sneaky subconscious whispers and he figuratively bats it away like an annoying fly. She turned her back on him; she won't give a shit if he remains among the undead.

_You know that isn't true. She will mourn you. Would you break her heart like that?_

Eric growls low in his throat in response to his antagonistic subconscious. Fortunately, the noise coming from him goes unnoticed because Nan is too busy screaming about how she refuses to meet the True Death because of us. She ends her tirade calling Bill and himself lovesick puppies. Eric's heard all he needs to. In a move too quick for any of the other vampires to track, Eric decapitates the three guards, their bodies exploding in piles of goo before the heads hit the floor. He watches with amusement as Compton uses his ceremonial stake, the one Nan herself had given Compton at his official coronation ceremony, to pierce the heart of the bitchy AVL spokeswoman. It is immensely satisfying for Eric to see the combination of fear, horror, and astonishment on Nan's face the instant before her body disintegrates.

"Well done Your Majesty," Eric congratulates Bill sincerely. The king nods his head in acknowledgement and the two vampires stare at the bloody mess surrounding them. Both men are covered in blood as is the majority of the office. Bill looks at the room with disgust; he will have to pay to have the room cleaned and redecorated again. Eric longs to let loose a warrior's cry signaling his victory over his adversaries as he had done on the battlefields over his vanquished foes. The only thing that would have made these kills sweeter would have been if his trusty sword had been in his hands.

Both vampires resume fighting positions when they hear the sound of gunfire and screams outside followed by silence. Bill pulls a gun from his desk drawer and Eric moves beside the double doors, ready to attack the moment the doors open. The front door of the mansion opens, and a single pair of high heels clicks against the hardwood floor as the owner walks towards the closed office doors. The unknown intruder pauses outside the door, and Eric relaxes his stance as a familiar scent reaches his extra sensitive nose; it reminds him of a field of heather along an English moor. But the scent is tempered by a mixture of sandalwood and linen, two scents that will forever remind him of Godric. Eric gestures for Bill to lower his weapon as he opens the doors in dramatic fashion.

"Hello Nora," Eric says with his trademark smirk.

Nora strides forward confidently, barely acknowledging the King of Louisiana before claiming Eric's lips in a passionate kiss. Her lips move hungrily against his and Eric fists his hands in her hair, asserting his dominance over her. Nora has always tried to assert her power over him, but he will always be the stronger one. He uses his hands to move her head the way he wants as he thrusts his tongue in her mouth. Never one to give up easily, Nora's tongue duels with Eric's and she "accidentally" slices her tongue against his fang. Eric moans in ecstasy as her blood dances along his tongue. It is a familiar taste, comforting; it is the blood of Godric, faint as it may be. Eric's cock hardens as he greedily slashes her tongue again and again to taste more.

"Friend of yours?" Eric pulls slowly away from Nora's lips to stare at the one who interrupted them. Compton stands behind his desk with a sneer on his face and contempt in his eyes. He knew Eric was only toying with Sookie! If he truly loved her, then how could he be kissing another woman so passionately? It doesn't matter to Bill that he had fucked a donor earlier in the evening; that was just dinner. And he never kissed his feed and fucks; that is only reserved for the woman who owns his heart. And given Eric's very aroused state, Bill knows he will fuck the woman in his office before the night is through. Bill is glad Sookie is free of Eric; he would have destroyed her. She may have rejected both, but Bill knows it is only a matter of time before they are reunited. She is the love of his existence.

"She's my sister," Eric says as Nora nuzzles against his chest. Eric kisses Nora's head affectionately before releasing her. Their eyes meet and a heated look passes between them; this will be continued later in a semi-private place. At least far away from Compton's prying eyes. Nora steps away from Eric and beings speaking in a business-like tone.

"I see you handled Nan without any issues. My team of cleaners are outside waiting to remove the mess. The Authority will of course pay for anything that needs to be replaced since you property was damaged while you were performing a service for us. On behalf of The Guardian, you have our gratitude. Nan was becoming a thorn in his side." Nora, knowing exactly the type of pompous prick Bill Compton is, lays it on thick. She had vehemently opposed Compton's appointment as King of Louisiana; she firmly believe her brother should have been given the position. It wasn't family loyalty that prompted her support of Eric, though she would always chose family before an interloper. It was because it was the smart thing to do. He had defeated Russell Edgington; who would be stupid enough to fuck with him? Compton had no allies, was politically inexperienced, and was far too young. The only thing he had going for him was that his mortal life tied him to Louisiana, which given how close-mouthed the Deep South was to outsiders, it had been extremely beneficial in restoring vampire-human relations in the state.

"I appreciate that," Bill says slightly surprised. He had no idea Eric had connections to The Authority. If the vampiress in front of him really is another child of Godric, then Bill finds it hard to believe The Authority would have willingly agreed to the execution order for Eric, even if he had been under the control of a necromancer. Had Nan been setting him up? After Eric had been removed, would she have turned against him? It is of no consequence now as he feel the vestiges of Nan congealing on his skin and clothes. "It is an honor to serve The Guardian and The Authority. I am always willing to help," he says in a voice as thick and surgery as molasses.

Nora nods her acknowledgement before turning around and rolling her eyes in an exaggerated fashion at her older brother. Eric smirks in acknowledgement. Bill wouldn't be Bill if he wasn't trying to kiss someone's ass.

"If you require nothing further Your Majesty, my sister and I have some catching up to do." Without waiting for Bill's response, Eric and Nora vamp out of the stately home to continue their family reunion.

Eric's time with Nora has been bittersweet; they had cried and laughed over memories of Godric. When those moments had passed, they did only as two vampires could: they fucked the pain away. For Eric, it was a much needed contrast after the emotional connection sex with Sookie had been. With Nora, it wasn't about love or affection; it was pure fucking for the sake of fucking. It was about getting off in any way he could. The next evening had continued the same way the previous one had ended, with Eric buried deep inside Nora's tight sheath. After each of them having obtained their release, Nora had to leave; she was due to return to The Authority's headquarters in New Orleans. Sensing there was something troubling him, Nora invited Eric to return with her. He had been ready to refuse; what if Sookie needed him?

_Fuck Sookie! She is no longer our concern._

His subconscious was right; Sookie wasn't his concern anymore. And he wasn't ready to deal with Pam yet, so he left for New Orleans, trying to convince himself he didn't give a fuck about what would happen in his absence.

For a week, Eric got back to the vampire he had been before Sookie Stackhouse. He fucked whomever he wanted, when he wanted, and often taking more than one partner at a time. Nora and Salome were especially eager to play with him. Salome had heard about his legendary sexual prowess and wanted to experience his skills for herself. For one week, he was the epitome of what a vampire should be according to his progeny: fucking, feeding, and laughing as he made his way through the world, not giving a shit about anyone other than himself.

And he was absolutely miserable.

It was demeaning for him to realize that Sookie would invade his thoughts constantly. And a feeling of guilt continued to grow within him during the seven days he was gone until it was all but smothering him. She had fucking broke him; none of the women he was with that week, Nora included, could erase the loss of Sookie from his heart. His sister finally managed to drag the story about Sookie out of him. She was curious about the woman who had been with their maker at the end, and she was even more intrigued by the fact Eric loved her. Not because she thought her brother incapable of the emotion; Eric was perhaps the most emotional vampire she knew. He loved very few, but those that had his affection elicited strong reactions in him. What surprised Nora was that for once in his life, Eric was willingly putting the emotional desires of another before his own. Eric, like Nora, would have always put Godric first if he had let them, but their maker never let them put his needs before their own. He had been a true father in that he was selfless when it came to his children, putting their needs before his own. Nora pestered Eric for the complete story with Miss Stackhouse, provoking him to the point that he attacked Nora.

Their battle was vicious, two siblings that despised each other beating the shit out of each other until Nora's set of rooms at The Authority were nothing more than shambles. The siblings sat among the ruins wearily; broken and bloody, licking their wounds so to speak. Nora asked again about Sookie, and Eric, too battered to resist, spilled his guts to his younger sister, seeking a woman's perspective. Nora, who was a romantic at heart, cursed her brother in every language she knew for being a fool. She packed his belongings that night, sending him back to Shreveport to claim the woman he loved. When Eric asked how he was supposed to win her back, Nora only had one word of advice for him.

Grovel.

_End Flashback_

For three weeks, that word has rattled around his brain. He is Eric Northman. The Viking. The Sheriff of Area Five. He doesn't fucking grovel! If anything, she should be the one groveling. But she hasn't. Eric hasn't heard a peep from her, though he has been aware of all her activities since he returned. Surprisingly, Alcide Herveaux was his main source of information about Sookie. Eric had been in his office the night after returning from New Orleans when Alcide had barged in. The belligerent Were had demanded to know when Eric would be returning Sookie's home to her. She was unprotected living in that house alone; anyone could harm her, vampires included, since she couldn't prevent them from entering. Eric didn't appreciate having Alcide be the one to point out that flaw in Sookie's security; he should have corrected the matter the moment he felt her return. Eric liked even less having to hear that Alcide's psychotic ex, Debbie Pelt, had tried to kill Sookie in her home. While he had been busy fucking Nora, Sookie had been abducted by the Were bitch. It was only thanks to Alcide and Lafayette that Sookie had gone free. Eric would have taken great satisfaction in torturing the Pelt woman until finally putting her down, but her death had ultimately been at Sookie's hands. The woman he loved had shot the Were in self-defense. Eric chastised himself relentlessly upon hearing all this. He should have protected her; she was the woman he loved, yet he let her walk away. He never admits defeat easily, so why had he in this instance? He is a warrior; he is a fighter. He needs to be fighting for the woman he loves, fighting to prove that he is the vampire for her.

And if he has to grovel along the way, then so be it.


	2. All I Want for Christmas

At dusk the next evening, Sookie climbs wearily out of her car. She had worked the afternoon shift for the last three days in a row. The amount of money she'd made in tips barely justified the amount of money she spent on gas getting to work. This little amount isn't enough for her to survive; if she had paid all of her own expenses these last few weeks, she would be facing late payment calls and collection notices. But she hasn't been paying her own expenses other than groceries and gasoline; Eric has.

Sookie sighs as she slams the door of her rusty car shut. It's hard to think about Eric without feeling the familiar pain around her heart. A month ago, she had done what she thought was the right thing by turning her back on both of the vampires she loved. Her heart was so conflicted; how could she love them both at the same time? The daydream she'd had featuring both Eric and Bill scared her. Dream Sookie had indicated that she loved both of them and they should be willing to share her, which went against everything Sookie had been raised to believe. She had been raised a good Christian girl thinking that she would find someone to love, someone to share her life with. Although her Gran adapted to the modern times they were living in, she had still raised Sookie with old-fashioned values. It's why Sookie had such a hard time of letting Bill go; she had thought he was The One she would spend the rest of her life with. She had given him her heart, soul, and her body. Learning that it had all been a lie had broken something inside her, something that was still trying to heal. Eric in his amnesia state had been the balm Sookie needed for her soul. His sweet nature had picked the locks she had placed on her heart. It had been so easy to fall in love with him in his simple state. He was a blank canvas that had no masks to hide behind; a thousand years of walls had been toppled. It had been so easy for her to fall in love with him, perhaps too easy. Did she only love the Eric without his memories or did she love all of Eric? He said he loved her even with his memories and that the other Eric was still inside him. And she believed him, but she didn't believe herself. How could she when even her Gran said it wasn't going to last.

And she had been right. Eric's love for her was fleeting. A few nights after Sookie had said goodbye to both Bill and Eric, Bill had shown up on her doorstep. He came under the pretense of reassuring her that her secrets were completely safe, that _he_ had eliminated the threat Nan Flanagan posed to her. Of course, Bill had _accidentally_ let it slip that Eric had reunited with his "sister". Sookie had shown no emotion in front of Bill, thanking him for stopping by but saying she was tired and had to get up early to work the next day. Whatever Bill had expected, it had not been that. He looked completely baffled as Sookie closed the door in his face with a resounding click and wearily climbed through the darkened house to her bedroom, the one she had shared so recently with Eric. She laid down on the sheets that still smelled of him and finally let the tears flow from her body. It hurt; oh how it fucking hurt to know that he had moved on so easily. Gran had been right and she felt like such a fool. Sookie couldn't fault Eric for moving on, but did it have to be the same fucking night?! How could she believe that he really loved her when he could move on so quickly?

And the worst part was she realized that she loved him still.

In the days and weeks that followed Halloween night, Sookie had come to realize that she wasn't _in love_ with Bill. No matter what, a part of her would always love Bill, even if it had all been a lie. There's something about first love you never really get over. It doesn't matter how toxic that first relationship can be, it can still have the power to tug at a person's heart. However there is a physical pain that has settled over the area of her heart, and it's named Eric. She misses him, both versions of him. Sookie has cursed herself for being a fool that night by turning her back on Eric, but at the same time, part of her thinks she did the right thing. Yes her heart may be hurting a little now, but imagine how much worse it could have been if their relationship had progressed. If she had fallen completely in love with him only to have Eric turn away from her would have destroyed her and she thinks she would have never recovered.

Sookie trudges up the stairs leading to her front door, absently rubbing her hand over her aching heart. She pauses because there are two large white boxes stacked in front of the door; the top one has a giant red bow on it. Given everything that she's been through lately, she is naturally suspicious of unexpected boxes showing up on her porch. However, all caution goes flying out the window when she hears the soft mewling sound coming from inside the top box. Lifting the lid of the box, Sookie finds an adorable tabby kitten with hazel eyes lying on its back with its paws outstretched as if reaching for her.

"Awwww! Aren't you the most precious thing," Sookie coos to the kitten as she picks it up. The kitten immediately nestles against her bosom and purrs in contentment. "But how did you get here?" Sookie inspects the box more closely and finds an envelope with her name on it hidden underneath the red bow. Sookie pauses as she recognizes Eric's handwriting. The envelope is heavy in her hands as she weighs whether she wants to open it or not. Four weeks without any communication. Is the kitten merely to soften the blow of whatever bad news lies inside the plain white envelope? With trembling fingers, Sookie opens the envelope and pulls out several sheets of thick paper.

_My dearest Sookie,_

_I know that you said you were walking away from Bill and me, and as much as I hated your decision, I respected it. I wasn't going to persuade you to change your mind. I have lived a thousand years and only once in my existence have I ever pleaded with someone to stay with me._

_Godric_, Sookie thinks as tears pool in her eyes remembering Eric on his knees pleading for his maker to stay with him.

_If I am truthful, and I will always try to tell you the truth, I hated you for turning away from me. How could you so easily walk away from what we had together? Did I mean nothing to you? Was I just a convenient fuck for you since Compton was no longer an option?_

"Well fuck you asshole! It didn't take you very long to move on," Sookie mutters out loud. How dare he think he meant nothing to her! She's done nothing but miss him since she mistakenly walked away from the vampires in her life. She's so angry she could chew nails. How can a simple letter from Eric make her palm itch to slap him?

_By now I'm sure I've made you mad and you're wishing I was in front of you so you could slap the smile off my face. That's Fairy Sookie coming out. I meant what I said before, you should let her speak more for you. But I am guilty of the same thing; I don't let the softer Eric speak for me as often as I should. A thousand years of burying my emotions is a hard habit to break._

_I heard you crying that night as you walked away from Compton's mansion. Every ounce of blood in my body was screaming to go to you, comfort you, but I allowed my pride and hurt feelings to govern me. I am ashamed to admit that I sought comfort in the arms of another woman, hoping to erase the pain in my heart you had created._

"I don't want to hear about your fucking conquests!" Sookie screams as the tears roll down her cheeks. The dull ache that had lived in her heart becomes a burning, tearing sensation. It feels as if Eric has ripped her heart out, thrown it on the ground, and crushed it beneath his leather boot. Sookie is ready to tear up the letter in a fit of anger when the next sentence stays her hand.

_Please, I'm begging you to not tear this letter up until you've read all of it! I only mention all of this because I do not want to keep any secrets from you. Nora is my vampire sister; Godric turned her in the seventeenth century. I adore her and love her just as I love Pam, but I am not__**in love**__with her. I have been floundering since I lost Godric; the loss of my maker has shaken the very foundations of who I am as a man and as a vampire. But losing you . . . The pain I have felt every day since losing Godric seems insignificant compared to your loss. Do not blame or hate Nora because I was weak and sought solace in the arms of the one person on this earth that understands the pain I feel from losing my maker. If you must, hate me; I accept full blame for all of my actions. I tried to prove that you didn't hurt me, that I was still the same vampire I had always been._

_But it was a fruitless attempt and I was wrong._

_I will never be the same vampire again because of you. The love I feel for you has forever changed me. Even if you never accept me again in your life, I shall love you to the end of my existence, whether that be tomorrow or in another thousand years._

_So I can no longer respect your wishes and stay away from you. I did not wish to upset you by showing up unannounced, but I find I need a way to show you how much you mean to me, that you are never far from my thoughts._

_I know that it is the Christmas season, and for you that means a time to spend with those you love. I hope to be included in the list of those you love. Before you reject me outright, please let me show you how much you mean to me, and how I only want you to be happy. I am not asking for your answer now. Let me show you that I love you for you; not because of your blood or your telepathy, but because of who you are._

_By now you are probably muttering about being a kept woman or telling me that you don't need expensive presents._

Sookie snorts with laughter; he really does know her very well.

_I love your independence; I fully support it. And as for the expensive presents, some may be expensive, while others are rather simple. But know this, all of them come from the heart, and that is what gives them their greatest worth._

_And that leads us to the first present which is probably curled up in your arms. I like the idea of Chanukah, because I can give you a present each night for eight nights. However I know the holiday is not the one of your faith. There is a song that talks about the_Twelve Days of Christmas_, which is inspired by the Yuletide celebrations of my people. I'm sure you are familiar with the song. It's quite ridiculous when you think about it literally. Who the fuck wants all those birds as a present? So I've modified things a bit. So as this is the first day of Christmas, here is your first present. I remember you speaking of your cat Tina with fondness and longing. This kitten is a rescue from the ASPCA here in Shreveport. The second box has the items recommended for a new kitten such as a collar, litter box, etc. It is my hope that the two of you can keep each other company so neither of you will be lonely. He reminded me of you; a tiny, adorable package that hides the fact you both are natural fighters. But beware, he's a little like me too._

_He bites._

_With all my love,_

_Eric_

"I should be mad at you for being a high-handed vampire, but it's hard to resist this adorable face," Sookie says as she strokes the sleeping kitten's head with her finger. She carefully folds the letter before placing it inside the envelope. She then places her new friend inside his box again to carry everything inside the house.

"Come on Viking; let's get you inside and settled in your new home."


	3. Baby It's Cold Outside

When Eric rises for the evening, he eagerly checks the fledgling bond between Sookie and himself. During the first week of their separation, Eric would begin to check the bond with Sookie, wanting to make sure she was ok. But then he would get angry at himself for wallowing and force himself to close down his end of the bond so he couldn't feel anything. Even after returning to Shreveport, Eric forced himself to stay busy to keep his mind and heart from thinking about Sookie. However his blood was constantly calling for her; a siren's song designed to completely ensnare its prey. His blood ached for Sookie and it had started to take a physical toll on him. He felt like he couldn't breathe with the bond closed, that he was suffocating. Once he gave in to the call of the bond, Eric felt the tension inside his body ease slightly but it never fully disappeared because of the distance between them.

He had arranged for the first present to be delivered around the time that he would rise for the night so that he could feel her emotions as she read the letter. Eric reveled in the emotions he felt coming from Sookie; they were exactly what he expected when he had written the letter. And at the end of it, Eric felt a deep sense of satisfaction as he felt Sookie's happiness. It wasn't something she had felt a lot of lately; in fact, she had seemed as moody as he.

Eric's good mood lasted for the next several days. Sookie had not contacted him, but he hadn't expected her to. It was enough for now to feel her though their bond. For the second day, Eric had sent her two snow globes, with the note that he longed to lie in the snow with her once again. The surge of lust he had felt through the bond made him strut around Fangtasia proud as a peacock that evening. On the third day, Eric gifted Sookie with three bottles of French perfume, knowing she would rail at his extravagance even as she inhaled deeply of the light, sweet fragrances that would complement her natural scent beautifully. The fourth night had appealed to their shared sense of humor. As he had said in his letter, he wasn't going to follow the lyrics of the song exactly, but when he had seen this particular item he couldn't help but buy it. The four calling birds that Eric sent to Sookie were of a figurine of the seagulls from _Finding Nemo_and when you pressed a button on the base of the figurine, the birds said, "Mine. Mine. Mine." Eric knew Sookie hated the idea of being owned, but he could tell from the burst of humor he felt when the present was delivered that she understood his intentions exactly.

On the fifth night, Eric hurried through his daily routine of getting ready for the night since he was on throne duty this evening. Pam had tried to convince him that he should dress more festive because of the holidays and that they should decorate the bar to fit in with the holiday season. She had even tried to convince him to hang mistletoe over his throne, charging the vermin for the privilege of kissing whoever was seated on the throne. Eric had no desire to touch the vermin let alone kiss them; there was only one woman he wanted to kiss underneath the mistletoe. He had threatened to make her wear an elf costume, complete with striped stockings, bells on her shoes, and pointy ears if he found a single Christmas decoration in the bar. Part of him was hoping Ginger would be stupid enough to bring in something holiday related so he could blame it on Pam. It would serve her right for all the tormenting she has done the last few nights. She had been absolutely horrified by the gifts Eric had sent Sookie. If it didn't have a designer label or cost a fortune, it wasn't a proper gift in her opinion. Pam had put her foot day for today's present; the song lyric was five gold rings, therefore the present should be jewelry. Eric had finally relented when Pam had shown him something that Sookie wouldn't balk at. It was expensive, which satisfied Pam's expectations, but it was simple in its design so that Sookie would be comfortable wearing it. Rather than have his day man deliver the gift, he will be delivering it himself once he has satisfied his obligations at Fangtasia for the evening. The other reason he needed to see Sookie was because of all the paperwork to transfer her home back to her had been delivered to him today; all that remained was for both of them to sign on the dotted lines.

Before Eric left his resting chamber, he made a mental note to arrange for more bagged blood to be put inside his chamber. When he had returned to Shreveport, he had given up drinking from donors; they no longer appealed to him. Even in New Orleans he had found it difficult to stomach the blood from the donors he'd shared with Nora. At least there he had the option of drinking Royalty Blended, which is mainly what The Guardian drank. Eric didn't want to order large quantities of the higher end synthetic blood because it was extremely expensive due to the importation taxes levied on it; donor blood could be easily acquired from the local blood banks if one was willing to pay for it.

Eric arrived at Fangtasia a little after 8:00 pm, took care of a few matters in his office, and was on the throne by 8:30. By 8:45, he was already bored and glancing at the time on his cell phone every few minutes to see if he could leave yet. He really needed to find someone else to sit on the throne to appeal to the masses; he had better things to do with his time than be a freak show attraction for people to gawk at. Perhaps he will even give Pam his shares in the bar. He doesn't need the income and if things with Sookie go the way he hopes they will, he doesn't want her to ever have to worry about his fidelity.

Another fifteen minutes had passed when a text message from Pam came through.

_King Dickweed is here and he looks more constipated than usual._

Eric refrains from rolling his eyes as the door opens to show Bill Compton with his entourage of heavily armed security guards. On Bill's arm is a pale, anorexic-looking woman with sable-colored hair, wearing an ill-fitting red evening dress that looks trashy and not classy. Eric cannot help but notice the woman's uncanny resemblance to Lorena. He smirks to himself; Compton always did have mommy issues.

"Good evening Your Majesty," Eric says in a slightly mocking tone as he bows in an exaggerated way. "I trust everything is well this evening."

"Sheriff, it has come to my attention that you have been harassing Sookie," Bill says sharply. "Need I remind you that she has requested you stay away from her." Eric seethes as he listens to Bill. Not once does he make mention of the fact that she requested they _both_ stay away from her. Eric knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that the conniving king has made it a point to insert himself into Sookie's life nearly every day since Halloween night. He's used the excuse that they are neighbors in a small town to justify his stalkerish tendencies, but Eric knows Bill refuses to give up Sookie. The king claims to love her, but he loves her blood and her ability; he had not concerned himself with her at all while she was gone. In fact, Bill had ordered Eric to give up his search for Sookie about three months after she had disappeared. How could Bill really love her if he had given up on her so easily? It took Sookie disappearing for Eric to realize the depth of his feelings for the woman who challenged and fascinated him at every turn. Eric had scoffed when his maker had commented on his feelings for the young telepath, but Godric had seen the truth that Eric was not willing to admit. Eric meant what he had said the night she had returned; everyone that claimed to love her had given up on her. He never had, and he never will.

"Has Miss Stackhouse made a complaint about me?" Eric's voice is clipped and his accent becomes more pronounced as he fights to maintain control of his temper.

"She doesn't have to. I am doing what is best for her," Bill says smugly. Eric wants nothing more than to pound his fist repeatedly in the pompous asshole's face until there is nothing left but a bloody pulp. The only reason Compton is interfering is because he wants to keep Sookie for himself.

"With all due respect Your Majesty," Eric sneers the title, "you have no authority to keep me from Sookie."

"I am the King of Louisiana! I am the only authority in this state!" Bill drops the arm of his companion and storms in front of Eric. His short stature looks ridiculous next to Eric's imposing frame. Eric looks down at Bill as if he is nothing more than a pesky fly that needs to be swatted away.

"You are king only because I allow it," Eric murmurs quietly so none of the humans that are watching the confrontation can hear his words. However, all the vampires are aware of Eric's words and watch the scene with interest. "If I wanted to run this state, I could take it from you in an instant."

"Are you threatening your king?"

"No, I am merely reminding you of the facts," Eric says simply. "The only way you could best Sophie-Anne was because you had Nan Flanagan in your corner. Now you have no one. If you think to interfere with Sookie and me, a human that I have started a blood bond with, then I will be forced to end you as is my right. Interfering with bonded mates is punishable by death, regardless of what position you may hold. I am well within my rights to end you for the blood offense you have already committed," Eric murmurs in warning. The other vampires in attendance begin murmuring at hearing Eric is bonding with a human, and their murmurs cast the King of Louisiana in a decidedly unflattering light. Bill looks around at the vampires in attendance, knowing that the court of public opinion sides with the Viking. Bill glares at Eric, hatred burning brightly in his eyes. Bill cannot help but think he should have ended his rival for Sookie's affections when he had the chance. Eric Northman is the proverbial fly in his ointment; he needs to be dealt with quickly.

Bill gestures for his companion to rejoin him before he spins on his heel and stalks out of the bar with his guards following close behind him. The vampires in attendance resume their earlier activities while the humans try to crowd closer to Eric. They aren't exactly sure what they just saw but they are all drawn to the power and danger radiating from the statuesque vampire in his black suit and black button down shirt. The only spot of color comes from the red pocket square in his breast pocket. Knowing Eric has no patience for the vermin surrounding him; Pam leaves her post by the door and vamps to the stage.

"Why don't you just end him and be done with it?" She speaks in Swedish to keep their conversation private. "He's going to force the issue and you will have no choice but to act."

"It would hurt Sookie if I ended him," Eric replies softly in the same language.

"Did you mean what you said? You have begun a bond with her?" Pam asks her questions with no emotion in her voice. Eric looks his progeny in the face trying to find what her feelings are on the subject, but her face and the bond are both calm. In the few occasions where Pam had been in the same room as her maker and the telepath, she hadn't noticed a change in either of their scents, but to be honest, she had not been paying close attention.

"I did, and I would like to complete the two more exchanges to make the bond permanent. Is this going to be an issue?" Eric knows Pam does not like Sookie, and she has never tried to hide her feelings. However, Eric will not stand for Pam trying to hurt Sookie again. If he has to, he will send his progeny away to protect the woman he loves. It will hurt him to be separated from his child, but Eric cannot be without the woman he loves.

Pam swallows as she thinks over Eric's answer. She knew it was more than just Sookie's fairy vagina and telepathy that kept Eric interested. Pam hadn't understood his fascination with the telepath since coming back from Dallas, and she had done everything possible to remove Sookie from their existence. If she were honest with herself, she knew she had done it out of jealousy. Pam was used to being the only woman in Eric's life; she didn't share well with others. However, if she didn't accept the fairy as her maker's mate, Pam knew she would lose Eric for good.

"There is no issue Master," Pam says subserviently as she lowers her head. "I will do my best to get along with Sookie. I am sorry for any problems I have previously caused."

Eric smiles in relief as he feels the absolute sincerity coming from Pam. "You make me proud to call you my child," Eric says affectionately. He lifts Pam's head so he can place a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Go," she says affectionately. "I know you would rather be with her. I'll take care of the bar."

"Make sure you buy yourself something pretty for all your hard work," Eric says as he climbs off the dais. He vamps through the crowd, avoiding the vermin so they do not pollute him, before rushing out of the building.

"Don't worry," Pam says as with smug satisfaction as her fingers fly over the keys on her phone as she settles down on the throne. "I already have with your credit card."

Eric didn't bother wasting time with his car; he is in far too much of a hurry to see his beloved. He flies as fast as he can, her present for day five nestled securely in his hands while the deed to her home rests in his inner jacket pocket. The feelings of anticipation and fear battle fiercely inside him for dominance. He cannot wait to see his beautiful lover, yet he worries she will refuse to see him. All of his gifts have been well received but what if she is only accepting the gifts to be polite? Fuck! This is why he hates having feelings! They make him feel like one of those Emo teenagers running around with asymmetrical hair and skinny jeans.

Landing in the yard besides the steps leading up her porch, Eric pauses to take in the home. He may temporarily own it, but it has always been her home. That is why everything was redone to show what the home looked like before the maenad's destruction. If she isn't happy with how things turned out, he will gladly have Herveaux's company come back out to fix it so the house is exactly the way she wants it. Squaring his shoulders and taking an unnecessary deep breath, Eric marches up the porch steps to knock on the front door.

"Just a minute," Sookie calls out from near the back of the house. He hears water being switched off and then Sookie's quick steps as she makes her way towards the door. She pushes the lace covering the glass in the door aside to see who it is and her breath catches when she sees him standing before her. Sookie stares at him with a look of wonder on her face, not moving from her position on the other side of the door. The silent exchange stretched on for several minutes as the separated lovers look their fill of the other, memorizing the perfection that they each see in the other.

"Hello Sookie," Eric says softly from his side of the door with a tender smile on his face. "Are you going to invite me in?"

Sookie's lips twitch as she stares up at him. "And what'll happen if I do invite you in? The last time you needed an invitation it was about protection."

_Or passionate, primal sex_ Eric thinks with a low growl. The minx is toying with him; it seems Fairy Sookie is on display tonight.

"Whatever you want to happen Lover," Eric says softly. "If it's for me to go, then I will. But I would rather come in and spend time with. I have missed you," he admits honestly.

Sookie steps back and the door swings open so he can enter. "Come on in," she says as she scoops the kitten up in her arms. Eric moves gingerly across the threshold, unsure of what to expect. Sookie closes the door behind him and moves towards the living room with her new pet. She settles on the couch before letting the kitten free. The tabby immediately moves towards Eric, sniffing to decide if he is friend or foe. He must find something he likes because the small animal rubs against Eric's legs before strutting off to the kitchen.

"He is adjusting well I see," Eric says as he sets the gift box down on the seat beside Sookie. He remains standing in front of the couch, with his hands balled up in his pockets so he doesn't wrap Sookie up in his arms and never let go.

"Yup, he definitely lives up to his namesake," Sookie says with a smile as they watch the little kitten come rushing from the kitchen to pounce on one of his stuffed toys, attacking it with all the savagery his tiny form can muster.

"What did you name him?" Eric prays it is not Thor or Loki. Ever since those damn movies came out, people have begged him to dress up as the God of Thunder; as if he would do something as sacrilegious as desecrate his long-lost Gods.

"Viking," Sookie answers softly.

"Why?" Eric's voice is thick with emotion as he stares at the woman for whom his undead heart beats.

"Because he reminds me of you," she admits with a smile. It is the same smile that she used to give him all the time when he was without his memories. It's soft, loving, and oh so tender that it makes his heart ache.

"It's the fangs," Eric smirks trying to cover his emotions. "You like the feeling of them in your skin."

"Ass," Sookie says with a chuckle. "In case you've forgotten Buster, I know you have a heart in there. It's the reason I let you in tonight. You and that kitten both try to be so tough yet you both are looking to be loved."

"And do you love me?" Eric drops his mask and lets Sookie see the raw emotion on his face. It is the same hopeful look he had given her right before she had walked away from him.

"Of course I do; I wouldn't have let you in the door if I didn't."


	4. Five Golden Rings

Eric's heart swells with happiness hearing Sookie's words. _She loves me!_ He takes a step towards her as his lips shift into a blindingly brilliant smile. He feels so happy knowing she loves him. It erases the pain that has gripped his very soul since he last gazed upon her lovely face. He is quickly sitting beside her, the gift pushed to the side. Eric tries to pull Sookie in his arms, but she leans away from him.

Sookie sighs as she looks up at Eric with sad eyes. "Loving you was never the problem Eric. But sometimes love isn't enough."

Fucking emotions! Elation one minute, despair the next. He feels like he is being tugged in two different directions only to be split down the seam. Eric springs to his feet and demands angrily, "Why isn't it enough? In all my years walking this earth, I have never felt this way about someone as I do for you! Do you think this is a passing fancy for me? That I will change my mind?"

Sookie, just as angry as he, springs to her feet so she can stand in front of him. "Yes! Do you have any idea how intimidating it is to hear you say you've never loved another person before? How do I know this isn't because you're bored and want to try something different? Maybe you think you love me because I was there with Godric at the end. I don't know! But it's scary as hell to think that you," she says poking him in the chest, "love me! You're immortal and I'm human . . ."

"Mostly," Eric finishes for her as he remembers a similar conversation they had in bed.

"Yes," she whispers sadly. "I will die eventually Eric. Are you really gonna stay with me as I grow old and withered? Because I honestly can't see that happening," she admits. The twinkling lights of the Christmas tree are reflected in the pools of tears that are threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Would you not consider spending eternity with me?" Eric cups her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that spill from her eyes.

"I never thought about it to be honest," she says softly. "Even with Bill…" Eric growls hearing his name and Sookie smiles faintly. "Oh hush. I'm here with you aren't I? And other than at Merlotte's, I haven't seen him since Halloween."

"Really?" Then how the hell does Compton know about the gifts Eric's been sending.

"Oh he's been snooping around, but I haven't invited him in."

"About that," Eric says stepping back so he can reach inside his jacket. "I brought the paperwork to transfer ownership of the house back to you. I should have done it sooner so you'd be safe and I'm sorry I didn't. If something had happened to you…" Eric's face clouds as he realizes something had almost happened to her because of his carelessness and he becomes angry with himself all over again.

"Hey," Sookie says softly as she grabs his free hand to hold between hers. "I'm fine; don't beat yourself up over what ifs. And even if you had given me the house back, it wouldn't protect me from everyone."

"But I should have been here to protect you from the Were bitch," he says savagely.

Sookie's eyes widen. "How did you . . . Alcide! I told him to keep quiet!" Sookie drops his hand and moves away from him to pace angrily.

Eric moves to her side and wraps her up in his arms to calm her down. Sookie slowly relaxes in his embrace, resting her hands on his sides as her cheek settles against his chest. They stay quiet as they enjoy the simple comfort of being in each others arms again.

"I missed this," Sookie whispers as she rubs her cheek against the soft fabric of his suit. "I thought I was doing the right thing by walking away," she confesses. "One if not both of us were gonna get hurt."

Eric's arms tighten fractionally around her. "Lover there are no guarantees in this life. We could both die tomorrow with the way our luck has gone recently," Sookie snorts with humor in agreement and Eric smiles as his hands caress her hair. "Or we could spend years and years together, exploring the world, loving each other until the end of days. Even if you were with a human there would be no guarantees. Will you turn your back on us because of fear? I'm scared too, but my excitement at the thought of being with you far outweighs any fear I may have," Eric murmurs as he rests his cheek on top of her head.

"You make a compelling argument Mr. Northman," Sookie says as she moves back slightly to stare at his handsome face.

Eric smirks. "I do have a way with words." One of his pointer fingers traces the side of her face, sliding down to her chin where he tilts her chin up so they are eye to eye, his expression becoming solemn and intense. "I love you Sookie Stackhouse. Whether it's for a lifetime or eternity, I swear on Godric that you are the woman of my heart. Do not walk away from me again," he pleads.

"This is all happening so fast," Sookie says with a shaky voice and moves away from Eric's touch. His entire being screams out in pain at the loss of contact but he remains still. He has put all of his cards on the table; the ball is in her court. Sookie sits back down on the couch and takes a deep breath before looking up at him to speak. "When I walked away from you, it broke my heart. I felt like I would never be whole again, and these weeks apart hasn't lessened the pain. If anything it's become sharper and I am completely miserable."

"Good," Eric states shortly though there is a smile on his face. "It's petty I know, but I'm glad I wasn't the only one suffering."

"But I didn't go running into the arms of someone else looking for comfort," Sookie says in a choked voice and drops her head to look at her lap as the tears finally fall from her eyes again. Eric has always hated her tears, but knowing that he is the cause of them – _again_ – makes him feel a discomfort that is far worse than any torture he has experienced in his millennium on earth. He snarls mentally at the thought that love has made him a pansy, but it doesn't ease the sorrow he feels knowing that it is because of his thoughtless actions that she sits here in tears. Her tears when she'd ordered him to get off her porch after finding out about Compton's deceit had been heartbreaking, but he had consoled himself that it was for her own good to know the truth about the duplicitous snake in the grass. Of course, that sentiment quickly evaporated when he'd learned she had disappeared. For over a year, Eric blamed himself for Sookie running away. He knows and understands why she ran away, but that didn't make his guilt any easier to bear. There could have been other ways to tell her the truth, but instead he'd been brutally cold, indifferent even, as he'd shattered the illusion she had lived with for months. It was little comfort to know that he had ultimately done the right thing but it was at the cost of Sookie's mental and emotional well-being. It was his guilt as much as his hope that she would return that had him buying her house when her idiot brother had put it on the market, but it was love that made him painstakingly restore the home to exactly as he knew Sookie would want it. If it had been up to him, he would have leveled the old homestead and started over with something far more modern, with all the bells and whistles that modern technology provided. But the home wasn't about him, it was about Sookie.

Eric has no idea what to say that will possibly make this better for Sookie. She's right; he can explain why he did what he did until the end of time, but it won't ease her pain. He selfishly used others to try to make himself feel better, but it only made him feel worse. If the tables were turned and Sookie had been the one to seek comfort in the arms of others, Eric knows he would have gone on a rampage that would have made his antics as a newborn vampire look like child's play.

"I can't take back what I did no matter how much I wish I could," Eric admits with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He finally understands what she means about love not being enough, because he can already see his future without Sookie in it because of his selfishness. It is a bleak, cold void that will swallow him whole and leave him with nothing. It is not a future he wishes for himself and he struggles to find the words to make Sookie understand how much he wishes it had never happened.

"Sookie look at me," Eric pleads as he drops to his knees in front of her. He places his hand under her chin, but she stubbornly refuses to meet his gaze. He smiles faintly at her display of rebellion, her fire, but it fades as he feels the wetness of her tears on his fingers. "I have no excuses, no rationalizations. I was devastated on so many levels and was looking for a way, any way to feel in control of my existence again, to feel something like myself. It was petty and stupid and I regret it more than you will ever know because of how it hurts you," he says with his voice achingly soft.

Sookie looks at him with her tear-stained face in outrage. "How could you possibly know how it hurts me? Don't you think I wanted someone to hold me and tell me everything would be alright? Alcide's been here for me the last few weeks. It woulda been so easy to take that step that woulda ended up with me and him in bed." Eric growls hearing how close the Were has gotten to his little fairy. He knew Alcide was attracted to her, and with his bitch finally out of the way, there was nothing stopping him from making a serious play for Sookie. A hot acidic feeling sits heavily in the back of his throat. What if his Sookie had ended up in the arms of the wolf? What if . . .

"MINE!" He snarls in frustration and grips Sookie's knees in his hands pulling her closer to him as he tries to surround her body with his. Eric's fangs have snapped down as his instinct to protect his mate rises up in him.

Sookie's eyes narrow angrily. "Really? Was I yours while you were busy fuckin' your way through New Orleans?" Eric's eyes widen comically and his jaw hangs open in shock. How the hell . . .

Sookie pushes away from him, moving to stand across the room from him. She turns back to him with a bitter expression. "You shoulda known Bill would make sure I knew every single thing you did while you were away. He took great pleasure in making sure I knew just how much you really loved me," she says bitterly.

Before Eric can respond, Sookie rushes on. "Look I know I have no right to be angry or jealous but I am! I can understand Nora even if I don't like it. How can I compete with someone you have a history with that spans centuries? But the others? Those are the ones I can't understand. I am so mad at you, and yet I'm so happy to have you here. Part of me wants to run to you and kiss you; the other part wants to light your ass up like the Fourth of July!"

Eric cannot help but smirk as he rises to his full height. "Must be Fairy Sookie. I like when she comes out."

Sookie scoffs but there is a touch of humor on her face. Her expression fades as she stares at Eric in silence for several moments. She wraps her arms around her torso and rocks back on her heels nervously. She bites her lip and asks shyly, "So where do we go from here?"

Eric walks purposefully towards her advancing as she retreats until she ends up pressed against the wall with him caging her in with his impressive stature. "I think this means we are 'going steady' as Dear Abby calls it."

Sookie giggles. "You read Dear Abby? That's got to be the most bizarre thing I've ever heard!"

Eric shakes his head with a carefree smile of his own and a conspiratorial wink in his eye. "Not me; Pam."

Sookie's eyes widen and her mouth moves in a silent 'oh'. "She used to record Oprah and Dr. Phil too," he says in mock seriousness.

"Why?"

"To blend in better with society. Now she watches _TMZ_ and _Keeping Up with the Kardashians_."

Sookie laughs heartily. "OK, now _that_ is the most bizarre thing I've ever heard!"

Eric wraps his arms around her, his head settling on top of hers, chuckling as he too finds the situation humorous. "So Miss Stackhouse, will you go steady with me?"

"You big dork," she snorts as she snuggles in his arms. "They haven't called it 'going steady' since the fifties."

Eric sighs in agony. "Pam made me watch a movie about dating that she said 'fit' our situation perfectly. She said I was the bad boy and you were the goody two shoes."

"What movie was it?"

"_Grease_."

Sookie busts out laughing. "Seriously?! That's the movie she said would help you figure out dating?! Oh God, that's too funny!"

Eric smiles at seeing her amusement as he wipes the tears that have fallen during her raucous laughter. "I learned valuable lessons from that movie I will have you know," he says solemnly though his eyes twinkle with mirth. He grabs her hand and tugs so she will follow him. He settles her down on the couch as he sits beside her too.

"Oh? And what have you learned, oh wise one?" Sookie lifts her eyebrows expectantly as her lips curve in a beautiful smile.

"I learned that your ass will look phenomenal in black leather pants," he says with a wink which makes Sookie roll her eyes. His fingers toy with hers nervously while he reaches for the discarded present on the couch. "And I learned that a man should give the girl he cares for a token of his affection." Eric sets the elegantly wrapped present in Sookie's hands.

"Eric what did you do?" Her voice is a soft whisper as she stares at the package in her hands. She knows that today is supposed to be the five golden rings. Sookie had hoped that Eric would ignore this song lyric and opt for something else, but she knew the extravagant vampire wouldn't be able to resist the opportunity to lavish her with something golden or something jewelry related.

"Open it and find out," he says gruffly.

As if it were the most precious thing in the world, Sookie carefully slides the bow off the package and then slides her finger along the paper's edge to delicately open the paper. Eric, with supreme impatience, takes the box from her, ripping the paper with one long tear. Sookie glares at him for ruining the most beautiful paper she had ever seen. Eric makes an impatient hurry up motion with his hands. Sookie narrows her eyes at him before returning her attention to the box. A small gasp falls from her lips. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would have a box like this in her lap. She expected something from one of the mall jewelry stores; that she could handle even if she thought it was too much. What she held instead was a flat black box with gold lettering: BVLGARI.

"Eric what did you do?" She asks her earlier question as she stares in shock and awe at the box in her lap. The contents of this box probably cost more money than Sookie made in the last year . . . well two years since she'd been gone a year. He says nothing but smiles sheepishly as she lifts the lid.

Sookie gasps. "Cheese and rice!"

Nestled inside the soft velvet is Eric's version of five golden rings.

"Eric, I can't . . ." Sookie starts to protest but Eric lays a finger against her lips.

"Yes you can." Eric lifts the delicate chain holding the golden ring with the Bvlgari logo etched on the rim in his large hands. With practiced ease, Eric opens the clasp and drapes the chain around Sookie's neck so the pendant rests at the start of her cleavage. He slips the earrings and bangle from their respective holders and deftly slides them on Sookie. Eric saves the ring for last, holding it between his fingers for Sookie to stare at. "Miss Stackhouse, will you do me the honor of wearing my ring?"

"Ummm . . ." She takes a deep breath and blows it out noisily, puffing out her cheeks. Eric holds her right hand, sliding the ring on her finger until it is as far as it will go. He lets her hand go so she can admire the simple, elegant band on her hand. She twists and turns her hand she so can admire the ring. It may be expensive, but it is simple and classic, something she definitely likes. Yes, the cost of the gift intimidated her but that's not what scares her most about his gift. It is the sentiment that goes with it; the idea that she, Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic barmaid from Bon Temps, is meant to be with Eric Northman, the Viking, the thousand-year old larger-than-life vampire. It's mind-boggling!

Eric watches her still as only a vampire can, but he is anything but calm. His ring may be on her finger, but he needs more assurance than that. He needs to hear her say it; he needs to know that she wants this too. If she isn't in it with her entire heart, than he has nothing.

Sookie smiles reassuringly at Eric. "Is it wrong that I want to say 'my precious' in the creepiest voice possible?" Eric guffaws, his loud laughter easing the tension in his body and the room. She smiles tenderly at him as she clasps his hand with hers. "I love it Eric. Thank you." She leans forward to kiss him tenderly. Eric revels in the feel of her lips against his. But he is left wanting because she pulls away when he would have deepened the kiss.

"But don't think you can get away with always buying me expensive gifts! I don't need anything fancy. I'd rather have your time and attention than the crown jewels of Europe," Sookie says in all seriousness.

"Duly noted," Eric says with the same level of seriousness. "I only have the crown jewels for Scandinavia and the British Isles. So those are fair game in the future," he says with a smirk as Sookie smacks at him playfully. They spend the rest of the night as they did while he was without his memories; talking in front of the fire, completely comfortable with one another. The only difference this time is that Eric holds Sookie in his arms, nestled against his chest. As much as he would love nothing more than to lay her naked body in front of the fire and show her how much he loves her, Eric knows she is not ready for that yet. They still have much to work on to get back what they have lost. When Sookie falls asleep in his arms, Eric continues to hold her, staring at the dying embers until he is forced to carry her to her bed because of the coming dawn. His hand skims lightly along her cheek as she nestles under the covers, her hair fanned out over her pillow. He smiles happily when she whispers his name in her sleep and turns as if seeking him out. Eric places a lingering kiss against her brow before locking up the house and then descending to his cubby to rest for the day.


	5. I Have My Love to Keep Me Warm

"Well don't you look smug," Pam says with a slight smile on her face. She had worried for her maker the previous evening. His emotions had vaulted from one extreme to the next; it felt like he was a teenage girl going through puberty. She had been relieved when he had finally settled in a state of contentment that had lasted until the dawn of the new day that had claimed her. When Pam had risen for the evening, she was surprised to find that her maker had still been near Bon Temps and his happiness from the previous evening was continuing. She had hoped the blonde telepath wouldn't be disagreeable just for appearance's sake. When it came to Eric and Sookie, everything was combustible; they are two stubborn asses that would test the patience of Job himself when they decide to dig their heels in.

"I'm not smug; I'm happy," Eric says with a smirk as he strides to the closet in his office. When he had risen for the evening, Sookie had not been in the house. He was disappointed, thinking she was avoiding him until his hand crumpled the piece of paper he hadn't realized he was holding. She had left him a note that she was sorry to not be there when he rose for the night, but she got called in to work because one of the other waitresses had called out because her kids were sick. But what had soothed his hurt feelings was the fact the cubby smelled strongly of sunlight and Sookie. She had spent a portion of her day outside and then had come down to the cubby to lay with him before going to work. Eric had been reluctant to shower because it would wash away her divine scent. However given the way Pam is sniffing the air like a bloodhound looking for a fox, he might have to shower before sitting on his throne tonight. He wouldn't want any of the other vampires to get any ideas.

"Then smug and happy are the same damn look for you," Pam says drolly. "You smell like her, but I don't smell any cum. You must be losing your touch in your old age," as she smirks.

Eric turns from his closet where he has taken a rectangular box down from the back of the shelf. Pam's eyes widen as she takes in the large gold bow resting on top of the shoe box belonging to one of her favorite shoe designers. "This was going to be for you as a way of showing my appreciation for your help with Sookie's gift last night, but now I'm not sure if you deserve it. Your mouth is going to land you on Santa's naughty list. I guess I'll have to give these shoes to Ginger as part of her holiday bonus," he says with a dramatic sigh.

"I'll dip your balls in silver if you even think about giving those shoes to Ginger," Pam says in a deadly tone. Eric chuckles as he tosses the box to Pam who manages to catch and tear open the box in one move. She smiles and coos at the shoes as one would a baby. "These will match perfectly with the outfit I'm wearing New Year's Eve. Thank you," she says with a grateful smile.

Eric nods his head in acknowledgement as he strips off the clothing from yesterday. There is no modesty between him and Pam, so she doesn't bat an eyelash when he struts from his closet to his personal shower completely in the buff. Eric turns on the water once he is in the tight shower stall, not caring that it is icy when it first blasts his skin. It reminds him of bathing in the stream near his human home. He uses vamp speed to wash his hair and body, feeling regretful as Sookie's scent is whisked away to be replaced with that of his designer soap.

"So I take it Sookie was pleased with her present?" Pam leans against the wall inspecting her manicure as she waits for Eric to finish.

"Yes, she actually wore all of it last night," Eric says with a smile. He'd actually done some snooping before leaving her house tonight, wanting to see if she left the jewelry at home or if she actually wore it. He'd found the Bvlgari box tucked away in her lingerie door, but the jewelry had not been inside it. Of course, he had gotten distracted by all the lingerie in that drawer. Eric hopes that soon he will have the opportunity to see all of it on Sookie's luscious body. And he will enjoy ripping each piece off of her. That reminds him, he needs to set up accounts for her at all his favorite lingerie stores. It's only fair that if he is going to destroy it, then he should pay for it.

"I told you no woman in her right mind would refuse jewelry," Pam smirks. "What is she getting tonight?"

Eric shuts off the water and grabs the towel hanging right outside the glass shower door. He hurriedly dries off his skin before wrapping the towel around his waist. Crossing to the mirror, he pumps a small amount of gel in his hands before styling his wet hair the way he wants. "Tonight she is getting six authentic Hawaiian leis," he says with a gleam in his eye and a wicked smile on his face.

Pam looks confused. "What the fuck does a flower necklace have to do with Christmas or your relationship?"

Eric's grin widens as he applies his cologne. "That ridiculous song lyric called for six geese a-laying. This is my version of "a-laying". Sookie is getting 'leid' by me tonight." Eric forgoes underwear and pulls his tight jeans over his long legs and award-winning ass. As he buttons the fly and pulls up the zipper, he begins chuckling.

"What's so funny?" Pam had rolled her eyes at her maker's humor. He always thinks he's funny when really he's a giant dork in a deadly body.

"I had the leis delivered to Merlotte's since I knew Sookie wouldn't be home to receive them. So I 'leid' her in front of the Shifter and everyone else in that desolate redneck wasteland. How long do you think it will take for Compton to learn that Sookie got 'leid' by me?" Eric chuckles darkly as he thinks of the apocalyptic reaction the sourpuss monarch will have. It almost makes Eric wish he'd installed secret video cameras in Compton's home to go with the audio transmitters he had stealthily deposited in the monarch's home to spy on him. After his concrete spa treatment, Eric doesn't trust that pompous windbag at all. It's better to be forewarned than fucking covered in concrete. As it is, Pam still insists she is getting concrete out of her hair and it has been over a year.

"Dare I ask what the note for tonight said to go along with the present?" Knowing her maker, it's full of puns. After all, 'Fangtasia' had been his idea for the bar's name.

Eric chuckles more as he slips the cotton t-shirt over his head, pulling the fabric down so that it covers his defined torso and arms. It may hide his flesh from showing, but it accentuates every muscle he has without making him look like one of those muscle heads that cannot form a coherent sentence. Pam stares expectantly at Eric, waiting for him to answer, but he never does. He continues chuckling quietly as he moves to his desk to handle the few issues demanding his attention before his throne duty tonight. Pam gives up, knowing he won't tell her. As she walks to the door of the bar to begin letting in this evening's paying victims she can't help but think that although she may not like Sookie, she certainly keeps things interesting. As long as she keeps her maker happy, then Pam is happy. If her maker is unhappy, thank God there are lots of bayous where she can dump a body.

Eric is sitting on the throne in Fangtasia later that same evening. His mood had taken a nosedive from his earlier mischievousness because he hasn't felt any change in Sookie's mood nor had he received any messages from her. His present for tonight should have been delivered long before now. Text messages and phone calls to his day person have gone unanswered so he has no way of knowing if the gift was even delivered. He thought of calling Merlotte's to see if his present had been received, but he has no wish to deal with an irate Shifter or any of the prejudiced members of the staff. It is nearly ten; why the fuck hasn't he heard from her?

His cell phone buzzes on the arm of his throne. With a snarl, he presses the necessary buttons to see the text message from his day man, Bobby.

_The gift has been delivered to Miss Stackhouse as requested. I apologize it took so long, but I got a flat tire on one of the back roads. AAA took four hours to get here._

_Fucking idiot_, Eric seethes. Of course it wouldn't occur to his lazy day man to change the tire himself. Nor would it occur to the idiot to walk to find help. Why Eric keeps Bobby around, he doesn't know. He didn't think it possible to find someone more lazy than Pam, but he had found it in his day man. Once things are settled with Sookie, perhaps she will be willing to take over the position. He doesn't expect her to do it for free, but he wants her to have the opportunity to be more than just a waitress in a dive bar. This will definitely pay better than working for the Shifter and she will be able to take online classes to study whatever she wants. If she wants to continue working for the Shifter, so be it; but he at least wants her to have the opportunity for something more. As long as she is happy, that is all that matters.

Eric waits with renewed anticipation for Sookie to open his present. As with all the other presents, the outer wrapping gives no indication of what is inside the box. The suspense is making him jumpy, and he fidgets in his chair which is highly unusual for the Viking vampire. Of course, the vermin think it is because he finds one of them attractive so they all do their best to be alluring as possible. Someone should have told them that Eric thought the diseased, rotting corpses he had seen during the Black Plague were more appealing than their chemically ridden bodies and foul body odor.

Eric enjoys the hum of his bond with Sookie, studying it as if under a microscope. There is excitement and unease battling with each other inside her. Eric knows the unease comes from thinking he is sending her another expensive gift like yesterdays, but she needn't worry; yesterday's gift is the most expensive one he had planned. The anticipation inside him is building and building . . . Until there is nothing. The hum of the bond has gone silent. Eric waits, knowing the explosion of emotion coming from her is going to be soon. He intentionally had his note placed at the bottom of the package so she would have to lift out the six colorful flowered necklaces.

His fangs drop when he feels her puzzlement through the bond but then his lips move in a genuine smile as he feels the bond flood with humor and embarrassment though the amusement far outweighs any discomfort she feels. The vermin do not know what to think; they have never seen the vampire they hold in the highest regard seem happy. It confuses them because they never expected a vampire to experience the more positive emotions in the spectrum. They really are pathetic because they thought the only feelings vampires had were related to the darker aspects of life: death and destruction. It is no wonder Eric finds himself enthralled by Sookie. She is the first being to see him as an individual identity and not a thing in centuries. Even Pam as a mortal had seen Eric as a means to an end, not as a person.

As he continues to sit there with a genuine smile on his face, his cell phone buzzes to show a text message. His grin widens when he sees it is from Sookie and there is a picture attachment. When he opens the message, there stands his beautiful lover in her stark Merlotte's uniform and there is a fuchsia lei around her neck. She smiles brightly at the camera; it is the same smile he remembers seeing in a picture of her with her grandmother. It is a smile of happiness and love, and it's all for him. She looks absolutely stunning and Eric feels a tightness in his chest as he aches for her to be here with him. However, the caption underneath the picture makes him shake with laughter.

_Was it good for you? _㈴1

Obligations have prevented Eric from seeing Sookie as he would like to on day seven. King Asshat has tried to monopolize all of Eric's time so that he is unable to see Sookie, but that hasn't stopped Eric from sending his present or from the two of them texting as often as possible. The seventh night of Eric's gift giving features a large blue wicker basket containing sunglasses, sun tan lotions, a beach towel with swans on it, itsy bitsy teenie weenie bikinis, and a voucher good for an all-expenses paid seven night vacation to his home in Barbados. Eric has been stuck in his office on a conference call the king had requested with him and the newly appointed sheriffs in the state to discuss how to better improve vampire/human relations in Louisiana after the debacle with the Festival of Tolerance. Eric is playing a game of Tetris on his phone when the text messages start coming in from Sookie. The first one thanked him for the gift, saying she can't wait to get away with him, and that he doesn't need to spoil her. She ended her message with 'xoxoxoxo' which he thought adorable. Instead of saying he loves her back; he uses the new emoticon app he had downloaded earlier. Of course, the emoticons he uses are sexual in nature, showing Sookie exactly what he wants to be doing rather than sitting in his office on a conference call listening to plans the dimwitted prick of a monarch had already outlined in his weekly bulletin to his sheriffs. Eric feels the shot of lust through the bond with Sookie and growls quietly. However, the other vampires on the conference call hear him, and of course, His Majesty the Royal Pompous Asshole, wants to know if Eric has a problem with the king's plan for interspecies cooperation. Eric covers his slip up by blaming it on a disturbance in the bar outside his office. As the call continues, he grips the armrests of his chair tightly when he feels the lust through the bond throb longingly as it is mixed with a hint of mischievousness. He has no idea what his little fairy is up to, but she doesn't make him wait long. His phone vibrates again with a text message from Sookie. The message is of her in her new pink and white striped bikini. The top is only two triangles of fabric held together by pink and white strings, and the bottom is one panel of fabric that covers the front and back, with the material tied together at her hips. You would think the pink and white together would look innocent, but Sookie has taken her hair down so that it hangs wildly around her. She is biting the end of her fingertip as the other hand holds the phone out to take the selfie. His phone buzzes again with another text message from her.

_What do ya think?_

Eric's fangs pop down as his erection pops up. Her look can only be described as sex kitten. And he wants nothing more than to stroke that pussy until it purrs. However, the king's whining voice coming through the phone brings Eric abruptly back to the present. Setting the receiver down, he puts the call on speaker and mutes it so that no one can hear him. He has more important things to do than listen to that pompous ass pontificate about the importance of having good vampire/human relations. If the king would shut his mouth, Eric has a certain human he wants to further relations with at the moment. Eric texts a quick reply to Sookie wanting to see how far she is willing to take this little game between them.

Eric: _You look good enough to eat and I'm feeling hungry. _

Sookie: _You don't think it is too sweet? It reminds me of cotton candy. You might get a toothache if you eat too much. _

E: _Hmmmm. I don't think I can ever eat enough of you. _

S: _ERIC!_

E: _Yes you did scream my name the last time I had you for dinner and dessert. _

S: _Oh my God!_

E: _You were screaming that too. _

Eric chuckles as he sends his response to Sookie. He can picture her clearly in his mind; her cheeks flaming with her blush, her eyes downcast as if embarrassed, but her lips are curved in a wicked smile betraying how much she likes it when he talks dirty to her. That limp dick mother fucker she was with before probably never did anything more exciting than fuck her with the lights on. Sookie had seemed so shocked when he had taken her in positions other than missionary and had blushed uncontrollably when he had told her in explicit detail what he was going to do to her body. Having his memories back, Eric can now marvel at how innocent she seemed despite not being a virgin. Bill must have been fucking useless; he'd done nothing more than stolen her virginity with sub par sex which left her lacking confidence in herself and what she can do to the opposite sex. But Eric had more than enjoyed his brief time schooling Sookie in the art of pleasure. He can't wait until they resume their training sessions.

Bill's voice rising in indignation breaks Eric from his lusty thoughts. Listening to King Fuckup drone on and on is annoying to him. He raises his middle finger towards the phone, wishing the king could get the message loud and clear. Eric's childish display of disrespect is interrupted by another text message on his phone. This time Sookie has sent him a picture of her in the scarlet bikini. Well, she is wearing the bikini bottoms; her left arm covers her breasts while the right arm is extended towards the mirror to take the picture. Eric's hand drifts unconsciously to the front of his pants, stroking through the denim as his phone buzzes with another message.

S:_ I thought you might prefer something a little spicier. ;-)_

E:_ You're playing with fire Lover. Those red bottoms make my cock want to play toro to your matador. Something tells me you won't slip away when I come charging in._

Eric eagerly awaits Sookie's response but none is forthcoming. Did he take the flirting too far? He doesn't know what all the rules are for going steady and judging by that stupid movie Pam made him watch, sex isn't part of going steady. Maybe he went too far? But how else is he supposed to react when she is sending him scantily clad pictures? Thankfully, the call with his royal asshattery is over, and Eric can devote his attention fully to Sookie. He is ready to dial her number when his phone buzzes yet again with another text message from her.

S: _I think I like this the best for Barbados. What do you think?_

As he's reading, a new picture message comes through and he agrees it is the best one of the night. Sookie is posed again with her left arm covering her breasts, but this time she is not wearing any bottoms. However, her legs are crossed to hide what lies between them. It is not a revealing picture at all and that is what makes it all the more tantalizing.

All of Sookie's teasing this evening has made him change his mind about what to give her for day eight. She has no one to blame but herself when she sees her gift to fit with the theme of 'eight maids a milking'.


	6. Please Come Home for Christmas

"Eric Northman! In what world do you think giving me sex toys is an acceptable Christmas gift?!" Sookie's shrill voice rings in Eric's ear, creating a vibration of sound that is painful. After the back and forth flirting and sexting from the night before, in which Eric had sought relief from his sexual frustration through the comfort of his own hand, he had changed up the gift for this evening. 'Eight maids a milking' wasn't really an inspiring idea. All Eric kept thinking of was milk and cows, neither of which Sookie would appreciate. Inspiration had struck last night when he said he wanted to be the toro to her matador. While sexting Sookie, he shopped online for a variety of sex toys, eight in all, which he and Sookie could use to enhance their pleasure. Thanks to the marvels of the internet and same day delivery for the holidays, Eric was able to have the toys delivered to his home by early afternoon. He had instructed Bobby to place the package in his bedroom closet as soon as it arrived. What Bobby didn't know was that the entrance to his daytime resting chamber was hidden behind a panel in the closet. Eric retrieved the box when he had risen for the evening, carefully inspected each item before placing it inside the gift box. The note he placed inside the box had said, "Eight ways to milk the pleasure from our bodies. I look forward to using them on and in you." When Eric had exited his chamber, he gave the wrapped present to Bobby to deliver to Sookie.

Sookie continues her rant without waiting for Eric to answer. "Do you have any idea how inappropriate that gift is? You should have given me a warning on the box that it wasn't meant for other people to see! My brother and Lafayette were here when I got your gift. Do you understand how embarrassed I am that I opened that box in front of them?! Lafayette thought it funny but Jason . . . He's my brother for God's sake! He doesn't want to know what I do behind closed doors any more than I want to know what he does! It's bad enough I get glimpses of it in his head!" Sookie's voice gets higher and higher in pitch as she screams at him in all her righteous indignation. Eric knows that her anger stems from her embarrassment at having others see the contents of the box. But it doesn't bother him; he lost all modesty eons ago, not that he had much of it to begin with. And his relationship with his "sister" is drastically different than the one Sookie has with her brother. Sookie was raised with very repressed views about sex; it reminds Eric of the ridiculous 1950s sitcoms where sex was never talked about and husbands and wives slept in separate beds.

Sookie pauses to take a deep breath and Eric knows this is his opportunity to speak. He keeps his voice calm and soothing because he doesn't want to rile her any further. "Forgive me Lover. I did not mean to cause you undue stress by unintentionally embarrassing you in front of your friend and brother." Eric has more he wishes to say but Sookie's sarcastic snort cuts him off, ending his patience and the leash he has on his temper.

"Oh please. Save your fake apologies for someone dumb enough to believe that shit! I'm not buyin' whatever it is you're selling!"

"Sookie you know I wasn't trying to embarrass you. Stop acting so childish," Eric snaps. He had meant the gift to be something to enflame her passion. However anger isn't exactly the type of passion he was going for.

"Childish?! That's rich coming from you," she scoffs. "Your over a thousand years old and you act like a horny teenager finding his father's _Playboy_ stash. If all of this is just about sex, then you're barking up the wrong tree. Go find one of your adoring fans to munch on," she says bitterly. He calls her name a few times only to realize that she isn't there. She hung up on him. Eric bellows in frustration and ends up crushing the phone in his hand.

"Sometimes I wonder why I bother with her! She is infuriatingly stubborn!"

"Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black," Pam says from the doorway. She'd come to inspect what had angered her maker. She had caught the tail end of his conversation with his paramour and could tell that the two of them had dug in their heels and refused to back down.

"Not now Pam," he says through clenched teeth.

"Yes now. As much as it pains me to admit this, I have to agree with the breather on this one," she says with a pinched expression as if she is smelling rotting fish on a hot summer day.

"You're siding with Sookie against me?" Eric doesn't believe this is happening! Since when does his progeny ever side with a human?! And not just any human, but Sookie? She hates Sookie! Hate may be too strong of a word, though she did try to fire a rocket launcher at my bonded. That wasn't done in hate though, it was done out of love for her maker. To be honest, Pam didn't hate Sookie, but she did hate how the telepath made her maker act. It has taken her time to realize that Sookie, other than her ridiculous devotion to Bill, hadn't done anything to annoy Pam. In fact, Pam had been impressed by the fortitude the mostly human Southern woman had displayed on more than one occasion.

"Eric, you're a thousand years old and still you don't understand women," his progeny says with a smug expression. The Viking narrows his eyes at his child, thinking of punishing her by making her wear clothing only purchased at Goodwill or the Salvation Army for the next three months. Before he can issue his chastisement, she puts the situation in perspective for him. "How would you like it if Sookie had embarrassed you in front of Godric?"

Eric's irritation with his progeny and anger with his bonded plummet to the deepest ravine in self-recrimination hell. _Fuck!_ Eric knew if he had been embarrassed in front of his maker in such a way he would have lashed out in anger at whoever had been the one to cause such a situation. And if he could not lash out at the source, then he would have lashed out at who or what was a convenient substitute. The last time he had felt embarrassment in front of his maker was when Godric had chastised him for giving blood to the German Were bitch in the hopes of finding her master. Godric's disappointment in Eric had both embarrassed and shamed him. He had been further disheartened the next evening when he rose to find a letter from Godric telling him he was no longer willing to help Eric find the murderer of his human family; that his sense of vengeance would be his ruination. When Eric had tried to apologize to his master for his foolish action, he could not find him. Godric had vanished and closed their bond so that Eric could only tell his maker still existed, nothing more. In his anger at what he viewed as his maker's betrayal, Eric had gone on a rampage in the heart of Germany. His rampage corresponded with the Allied forces advancement in Germany heading towards Berlin. Those that had survived Eric's attack were captured by the Allied forces and spoke of a monster in the night coming out of the shadows to attack them. The Allied forces had found no monster, instead choosing to refer to the advancement in Germany as _Operation Plunder_, which was a decisive part in the Allied forces victory over Hitler.

Feeling his guilt well up inside him, Eric hears Nora's voice whispering in his head and he snarls in frustration because he knows what he has to do.

Grovel.

"Where in all your _Dear Abby_ columns does it say I have to act like a fucking pussy because I love her?" Eric turns to his progeny for his answer. It isn't necessarily that he feels emasculated because he loves Sookie, but it is making him act very out of character and he hates it! He has spent several centuries doing as he pleases; it is aggravating to feel as if his sense of choice has been taken away. Being with Sookie doesn't make him feel trapped, but there is an additional weight on him to consider her in all his decisions. Loving her is both freeing and suffocating at the same time.

"You wanted her; this is what you have to do to have her." Pam walks closer to her maker, placing her hand on his arm so he will stop his pacing to look at her. She gentles her expression and softens her voice, a rare show of compassion from his cold and callous progeny. "Don't drag this out and string her along if you are only going to break her heart. Just because you love her doesn't automatically guarantee happiness. Really stop and think if pursuing this is the best thing for both of you." Pam squeezes his arm slightly and smiles softly before stepping back. Her cold demeanor is firmly in place as she walks out of the office back to the bar.

Eric drops down on his couch, his head cradled in his hands. It's such a small misunderstanding between him and Sookie, it really should be insignificant. But it has shown the bigger differences that exist between the two of them. As much as it pains him to admit it, Pam is right.

Sometimes love isn't enough.

"Hooka why's yo panties in a twist?" Lafayette stares intently at Sookie as she waits for her order from the Merlotte's cook. All day she has been irritated and snapping at people for no reason, completely out of character for her. She is usually a ball of sunshine despite whatever crazy shit she hears from other people's minds. Lafayette had never really put much stock in her mind reading until vampires made themselves known to the world. Even then, he thought she was just lucky or psychic. But given his experiences with his beloved Jesus and being a medium, Lafayette has a whole new appreciation for Sookie. He doesn't hear voices like she does, but he now sees the spirits of the dead lingering about. His guilt over killing Jesus would have eaten him alive if it weren't for the fact that Jesus' spirit is always nearby to comfort him. The night Sookie had freed his body from Marnie's control, Lafayette had nearly killed himself because of the grief he felt over having killed Jesus. Even if he hadn't been in his right frame of mind, Jesus still died by his hands and those images will haunt him until the day he dies. Lafayette had been ready to end his own life; the bottle of sleeping pills had been in his hand. He could have popped a few pills and never woken up. It would have been so easy and he was tired of all the pain and loss in his life. It seemed he was destined to never be happy.

But it was the blonde staring at him across the pass-through that had saved Lafayette's life. She had heard his thoughts and come to console him, keeping him from upending the bottle in his open, waiting mouth. She had pleaded with him, railed at him, and finally held him as they cried together for those they had loved and lost. Sookie had given him the strength and resolve to go on one more day, knowing that he could always end his life another day if he really wanted it. While he had been sleeping, Lafayette had felt the bed shift and it had woken him instantly. When he turned, he say Jesus' smiling face staring at him with nothing but love. His conversation with Jesus had given him the strength to go on, and he was so thankful for that. Lafayette had been there to help Sookie when she had been attacked by Alcide's ex-girlfriend. Lafayette had been awake when the two-natured woman had snuck in the house to get to Sookie. He hadn't been able to stop her when she had kidnapped his telepathic friend but he had been able to follow after her, calling Alcide and Sam to come help him. It hadn't been easy, and ultimately Sookie had been forced to take the V-addicted Were's life, but Lafayette had come to realize that if he had ended his life, then no one would have been around to help save Sookie.

"I'm fine Lafayette," Sookie says tersely as she taps her fingers impatiently against the stainless steel counter. Lafayette comes toward the window carrying two baskets of food. He sets them in the window, and Sookie quickly snatches them up. Lafayette grabs hold of her wrist before she can walk away.

"Sook, you can fools everybody else, but you cants fools me," he says gently. "What's wrong baby girl?" Sookie begins blushing a tomato-red color under his intense gaze and refuses to look him in the eyes.

"Are you still upset about that gift from tall, blond, and dead?" Lafayette looks incredulously at his friend, amazed that after everything they have seen and done she is still embarrassed by sex. "Go drop off your food and meet me outside. You needs a come to Jesus moment. Yous in luck, because I'm feelin' extra religious with Christmas right around the corner." Sookie opens her mouth to protest, but he mimes a zipper and gives her a hard stare, daring her to refuse. Once Lafayette lets her go, she stomps off to deliver the order to her table. After doing a round to check on her tables, she goes outside to meet her friend who is drinking from a cup that smells strongly of tequila.

"Can you make this quick Lala? I can't leave my tables for too long," Sookie says impatiently.

"Hooka you ain't gonna make any tips today anyways since I've seen gators be less snappish than you," he says with pursed lips. He pats the bench next to him. "Now sit your pretty little ass downs and let's talk."

Sookie sighs heavily before crossing the dirt to sit next to her friend. "Alright, I'm listening."

"No you ain't; you patronizin' me. Lose the tude missy and really listen to what I have to say," Lafayette says astutely. He puts a finger under her chin and turns her face to him. "What's troublin' you?"

"Eric," she sighs out. "It's not the gift he sent me...well it is. I don't get why he would think that's an appropriate gift. He should have warned me what's in it! You and Jason shouldn't have seen that!"

"Honey you think we've never seen sex toys before?" Lafayette gives her a sideways look and makes a dramatic gesture with his hands. "Bitch please, I wanna know where he got some of those things. They look like they'd be fun to use. You'll have to let me know what you think," he says slyly.

"Lafayette!" Sookie looks mortified by her friend's words.

Lafayette shakes his head. "Sooks yous a telepath. You see sex every day. And I knows you ain't a virgin no more. Something tells me that Viking a yours knows a trick or two to keep you more than happy. So what's really the problem here? Why you makin' a mountain out of a vibrator?"

Sookie opens her mouth and closes it a few times. A dull red flush sweeps up her chest and neck to heat her face. "I kinda overreacted didn't I?" At Lafayette's nod Sookie groans as she raises her face to the sky so she can stare at the white billowy clouds drifting by. "I called and yelled at him Lala. I was so mean to him before I hung up on him. God, I'm such a bitch! Why do I always lash out at him like that?"

Lafayette smiles as he pats Sookie's knee. "Because you love him. If he didn't matter to you, he wouldn't be able to spin you up like that. And you do the same to him. You both are stubborn but passionate people; there's gonna be lotsa fireworks between the two a ya. But think of all the fun yous be havin' makin' up," Lafayette says with an exaggerated waggle of his eyebrows which causes Sookie to laugh.

"Sook, yous in love with a thousand year old vampire. He's a badass mutha fucker, and he scares the shit outta me. But he loves you. You weren't here to see him that year yous gone. He was absolutely beside hisself when no one could find you. Idda thought Bill be da one to keep lookin' for ya, but he acted like he didn't care yous gone. But Eric Northman," Lafayette turns his head to look Sookie in the eye so she can see how serious he is, "he never gave up on you. Hell, he would come to Merlotte's or my house just to have someone to talk to about ya. He fixed up ya house for ya and he made sure your Gran's grave was maintained. If that ain't love Sook, I don't know what is."

Sookie pulls up to her house after finishing the lunch and dinner shifts at Merlotte's. Lafayette's words had rattled around her brain for the rest of her shift. She knew he was right. Despite being her first love, Bill never caused such a reaction from her. Even with all of their issues, Sookie had never reacted as passionately with Bill as she did with Eric. Her Gran's words about loving her grandfather come to mind.

_Lord there were days I wanted to hit that man over the head with my frying pan cause he made me so mad. But all he had to do was smile at me a certain way or kiss me and I'd forget what I'd been mad for. Your granddaddy was the love of my life. Why would I go looking for a replacement when I know it would never be as wonderful as what I had with him?_

Sookie finally understands what her Gran meant. Eric is it for her; even if things do not work out between them, she will never love another as much as she loves him. Has she finally pushed Eric away with her stubborn behavior? She had tried texting him at first dark to apologize and say they needed to talk but the text message came back saying undeliverable. She'd tried calling when she left work and it went straight to voice mail. Had this been the straw to break the camel's back?

Sookie had tears in her eyes as she walked up her porch steps. There were no packages waiting for her, so she could only assume Eric had tired of her antics. Sniffling as she unlocks her door, Sookie walks in the house and closes the door with a loud click behind her. She leans against the door and finally loses the battle to keep her tears from falling. Great heaving sobs wrack her body and she doubles over as if in pain, her purse and keys falling from her hands to land with a crash on the floor at her feet.

A pair of strong arms wrap around Sookie, pulling her against a hard, masculine body. Eric lifts her in his arms and carries her to the sofa, pressing kisses to her head and whispering soft words of comfort. He rubs circles along her back as he rocks her in his arms. Sookie clutches at the material of his shirt, holding it tightly in her hands as if she will keep him here by sheer willpower alone. Eric continues to hold her until her sobbing becomes loud hiccups that rock her entire body. Eric tries to set Sookie on the couch, but she refuses to let go of him, shaking her head wildly.

"Lover I'm just going to get you a glass of water. I promise I'm not going anywhere," Eric vows as he kisses the side of her head again. Sookie eases her hold and Eric slips out from beneath her. He is in and out of the kitchen in seconds, holding a glass of water in front of her face. She takes it, bringing the glass to her lips where she takes several small swallows. Eric brushes the hair back from her face gently, worry for her clouding his beautiful face.

Sookie takes a deep breath before looking at Eric. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was embarrassed but I shouldn't have said everything I did. Lafayette made me realize how much I overreacted today. I tried to send you a message and call you. When you didn't answer I thought maybe you finally realized I'm not worth all the trouble," she says as fresh tears shimmer in her eyes and her voice shakes with emotion.

"I need to get a new cell phone. I may have crushed my phone in my hand last night because I was frustrated with you," he admits with a small smile which fades as he looks at her tear-stained face. He brushes his thumbs along her cheeks, trying to erase her earlier misery. "I am sorry I embarrassed you; that was not my intention. I may be a thousand years old, but all of this is new to me. Be patient with me Lover; I don't really know what I'm doing. The only advice I have comes from Pam, and I really don't want to listen to her recite _Dear Abby_ to me," Eric says with a long-suffering sigh which makes Sookie giggle.

"I don't know what I'm doing either. It's not like Bill and I had a normal relationship. We'll just have to figure everything out together," Sookie says with a smile as she links fingers with Eric.

Eric brings her hand up to his lips and places a loving kiss against each of her fingers. "That sounds like a much better plan. Would you like your present for tonight?" Seeing Sookie's wary gaze he rushes to reassure her. "I can assure you it is nothing risqué. I remember you told me of the love you shared with your Gran for musicals from the Golden Age of Hollywood. I brought you nine movies," he says shyly.

"Nine ladies dancing," Sookie says with a smile as she squeezes Eric's hand and leans forward to kiss his cheek. "Thank you. I love it!"

Eric's face settles in that shy smile Sookie loves best and her heart flutters seeing it. "Will you stay and watch one with me?"

"I can't Lover. I have to go back to Fangtasia tonight because I won't be there tomorrow night."

"Oh," she says disappointed. "Where are you going tomorrow night?"

"_We_ are going to see _The Nutcracker_ tomorrow night. I have already checked with the Shifter, so I know you have off," Eric says confidently.

"Oh yeah," Sookie says giving Eric the look he has patented. "Who says I want to go to the ballet with you?"

Eric can tell through the bond that she is teasing him. He growls playfully at her, surging forward to press her flat down on the couch. "Are you trying to play hard to get?" He nips gently at whatever exposed skin he can reach as his hands seek out her ticklish spots which causes Sookie to twist and turn as she shrieks with laughter. Eric continues his assault on her body, but there is a shift between them as the playful caresses and teasing touches become more ardent and passionate. Sookie arches her body against Eric's and turns her head to capture his lips with hers. Her hands reach down to slide in the pockets on the back of his jeans, squeezing his firm flesh as she rubs her body hungrily against his. Eric, always one to give as good as he gets, places his hands on her bountiful breasts, kneading the firm globes and rubbing the palms of his hands against her nipples. Sookie groans as she wraps her legs around Eric's hips, lifting her lower body to rub against his erection.

Eric grips her hips to hold her still, a groan of frustration rumbling out from his lips. He holds her body still as he rests his forehead against hers. "Sookie I have to go," he says in a voice that is a cross between a growl and whimper. He really hates that he agreed to take throne duty all night tonight so he can have tomorrow night completely off. Eric wants nothing more than to spend his evening in the arms of his woman. Her sweet scent is heavier because of her arousal and he is desperate to slide down her body so he can have a taste. With a last groan, he wrenches his body off the couch. He stands beside the couch, looking down at his lover. Her skin is flushed, her hair is mused from his fingers and her thrashing, and her legs are parted in invitation. With a frustrated snarl, he vamps out of the house and flies off towards Fangtasia. As he flies to Shreveport, Eric seriously considers setting his bar on fire just so he can return to the arms of the woman he loves.


	7. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

The vermin are more annoying than usual, and Eric has taken his frustrations out on them more viciously than ever before. All he wants was to return to Bon Temps and be with Sookie, but his customers are preventing Eric from doing what he wants. Only a few days until the Yule holiday, and the pathetic and desperate are flooding his bar. Beginning with Thanksgiving, business picks up in the bar and reaches its zenith on New Year's Eve. The holidays bring out the best and worst in people. Those that came to Fangtasia are usually the worst humanity has to offer. They are depressed, lonely, and emotional. Often times, these people are the dregs of society with no family or friends to speak of. They want to end their suffering and loneliness so they think to commit suicide by vampire. It is during this time of year that Eric issues strict proclamations about the behavior of vampires in his area. The last thing any of them need are the human police targeting vampires because of suicidal humans.

It is closing time and the last of the patrons are loitering around his bar, not making their way to the exits quickly enough to suit him. He stands from his throne, fangs fully extended and snarls, "GET OUT!"

The scared humans flee the bar in a hurry, some of them forgetting their purses and phones in their panicked flight. Ginger stares dumbly behind the bar, unsure of what to do. Is she supposed to leave with the rest of the people? Or is she supposed to stay and clean up? She stands as still as possible, looking like a deer in headlights especially since she is wearing a ridiculous headband with antlers on it; mistletoe hangs from one of the antlers. Eric turns his fierce gaze on her and chuckles despite his foul mood. He retracts his fangs before speaking to the overly glamoured barmaid. "Go home Ginger. The cleaning crew can handle everything in the morning. I will lock up."

Ginger scurries from behind the bar, her purse already slung over her shoulder. She pauses to give Eric a look of longing. She's been a good girl this year, and wants Santa to give her the only present she desires: Eric Northman. The Viking vampire knows how Ginger feels about him and he will never act on it. In a way, Eric feels sorry for Ginger. She works hard and has been loyal to him for years. He will not fuck her because he knows if he were to do so, it would create an intolerable situation for him, one that would most likely result in Ginger having to be killed. Pam would act like she didn't care, but he knows that she secretly cares for the brainless woman, almost the same way Pam cared for the girls that turned tricks for her over a century ago.

"Run along Ginger," Eric says with a shooing motion and waits for her to comply. Once he is alone in his business, he uses his speed to tally the end of night receipts, prepare the deposit for the next day, and leave a detailed set of instructions for the cleaning crew. In less than fifteen minutes, Eric has the bar securely locked down and is in the sky heading to the woman that he adores. He wasn't planning to spend the night with her, but their earlier reunion left him feeling raw and needy. Before he dies for the day, he will have to amend the instructions for Bobby so that all the arrangements for the ballet will go off seamlessly.

Eric's excitement, both literally and figuratively, rise up as he soars through the chilly night air heading to Bon Temps. He knows Sookie will be sleeping, but he just needs to be near her. He needs to feel the reassurance of her skin against his, even if it is simply because of her hand holding his. While he had sat on his throne, his mind had drifted, thinking of his future with Sookie. Yes, there will be many more misunderstandings and fights between them in the months and years to come, but he is looking forward to each one. Loving Sookie makes him feel whole. He had considered Pam's words carefully from the previous evening, wondering if a relationship with Sookie would be the right thing to do. He already knew it wasn't the smartest thing to do; she is a weakness that will be used against him by his enemies. And being with her is going to make the situation between himself and the King of Louisiana come to a head. Eric has no wish to be any higher up the political ladder than the rung he now rests on, but he knows Compton will not give up Sookie easily, despite his false promise months ago to step aside so that she could be happy with Eric.

Landing at Sookie's home, Eric senses nothing amiss. He inhales deeply as he takes in the serenity of the scene before him. He can get used to this; coming home to the woman he loves after a trying day at the office. Except in the fantasy world he is spinning, Sookie would be waiting for him at the door wearing something red and enticing that he would be more than happy to rip off her as he spent the rest of the night making sweet, passionate love to his bonded. Eric smiles wryly as he walks up the steps to the front door. When did he start referring to sex and fucking as making love?

It gives him an immense feeling of satisfaction to know that his key ring holds a key to Sookie's home. And he feels the need to pound on his chest and yell like Tarzan because Sookie has reissued his invitation to enter the house. He could tell when he was here earlier that the deed to her home had finally been transferred back to her name. If he could have gotten away with it, Eric would have run over to Compton's home and blew a huge raspberry in his face before saying 'neener, neener'. It's childish and he knows it, but it would have been immensely satisfying. Eric starts walking towards the stairs but his vampire senses pick up Sookie's heartbeat coming from the living room. That happy feeling inside him swells when he realizes she is asleep in the cubby. Being as silent as a church mouse, Eric levitates down the ladder and removes his clothing so all that is left are his skin-tight boxer briefs. Crossing to the bed, he smiles tenderly at Sookie. She is curled up in his bed with the red quilt he had used as a shield from the sun wrapped around her. Her slow even breathing tells him she is in a deep sleep. Eric lifts her in his arms, cradling her body close to his for a moment before he lies down on the bed, arranging them so that his arm is wrapped around Sookie as she lies nestled against his side. A sigh of contentment escapes his lips when he feels her burrow closer to him.

"We need a bigger bed," she says drowsily in the darkness.

Eric chuckles quietly. "Even in a bigger bed I would still be wrapped around you like a boa constrictor so there really is no point. I didn't mean to wake you Lover. Go back to sleep," he says before placing a chaste kiss against the crown of her head.

"Mkay," she sighs. It does not take long before her breathing returns to the deep even level of before. Eric smiles in the darkness when he hears the slight snoring coming from Sookie's parted lips. He even finds that adorable. Love has made him a sap. Yet he couldn't be happier. Before he dies for the day, he sends Bobby an email with the extra items he needs sent to Bon Temps in preparation for the ballet this evening and he wants the limousine sent to Bon Temps at 6:30 pm instead of going to his home first. As the first rays of the new day peek over the horizon, Eric's eyes close and a happy smile graces his handsome face.

Sookie rises the next morning with a smile on her face because she knows Eric came back to her after closing the bar. She would have loved to continue what they had started earlier in the evening, but she was just too damn tired. For someone that's only supposed to work part-time at Merlotte's she's been in there nearly every damn day for hours on end. She doesn't mind working, but now that she has someone she would rather spend her time with, she finds the lack of regimented work schedule annoying. There is only a finite amount of time that she can spend with Eric because of his work obligations; she doesn't want that time to be wasted with her having to serve beer and greasy food to a bunch of unappreciative bigots that look down on her for being different. She knows that if she asks Sam to put her on a specific schedule, he's gonna want to know why, and then he's going to blow his top when she says it's because she wants to spend more time with Eric. Maybe it's time she quit Merlotte's once and for all.

After she woke up, Sookie spends a long time simply staring at Eric. She'd never really had the opportunity to admire the Viking without him knowing it. He looks completely different when he is still for the day; it reminds her of Eric without his memories. His face is smooth, free of his thousand years of experience. It's not that his face is lined and aged, but it shows a hardness and resilience that is not present in his sleep. Sookie traces the features of his face with her fingers, lovingly caressing each and every part as if discovering it for the first time. She could have happily explored all of his body in such a way if it wasn't for the ringing of her doorbell. Wrapping her body in the robe that she had brought down to the cubby with her, Sookie quickly rises up the ladder and runs to the front door. She finds Eric's rude and impatient day man, Bobby Burnham, waiting with two garment bags. As soon as she opens the door, Bobby shoves the garments in her hands without a word before he turns and jogs down the steps back to his car. Sookie knows from his thoughts that he looks down on her, thinking she is a country bumpkin that isn't good enough for Eric. Sookie can't really refute his line of thinking; sometimes she doesn't think she is good enough for Eric.

She carefully hangs the two garment bags, lowering the zipper on each bag so the items inside will not wrinkle further. The black garment bag holds a tuxedo clearly meant for Eric. The white garment bag holds a thing of beauty, clearly designed for a princess. Sookie is in awe of the garment on the hanger, almost afraid to touch it for fear of spoiling its perfection. Her hands shake slightly as she removes the envelope taped to the hanger which has her name written in an elegant looping sweep.

_Lover,_

_I saw this dress and instantly thought of you. I can't wait to see you in it tonight. _

_~ Eric_

Sookie reverently takes the garment out of the bag, gasping in shock when she sees the full dress. Never before has she seen something so exquisite. The material is of the finest quality and the embroidery on the bodice looks as if it is real gold. It looks like something that belongs on the red carpet, not on her body. But she is in love and doesn't want to part with it though part of her wants to yell at Eric for spending so much money. She can't wait to put it on.

Sookie runs to the bathroom to begin preparing for the evening, hurrying through her shower so she can begin the real work of getting ready. In a panic, she calls Lafayette for help. She doesn't have the time or money to go to a salon to have them help her with her nails, hair, and make-up so she has to make use of the resources she has. Lafayette arrives a short time later to find Sookie simultaneously tweezing her eyebrows and shaving her legs. Lafayette quickly takes charge of the situation, making Sookie finish shaving her legs so he can begin his work. He gives her a manicure and pedicure, tweezing her eyebrows and then applying her make up as the polish dries. For her hair, he sweeps it back in an elegant twist, which he knows Eric will appreciate since it leaves the column of her neck exposed for his attentions and will give him a nice view of her cleavage.

Inside the garment bag, Eric had also included the necessary undergarments and shoes Sookie will need. She feels positively sinful as the silk and lace slide against her body, caressing her like a lover's touch. Looking in the mirror at her body, Sookie feels sexy wearing the delicate lingerie, matching garter, stockings, and high heels. She can't wait to have Eric see her like this!

Lafayette is helping her slip on the dress when Sookie feels Eric reanimate for the night. Lafayette whistles appreciatively when he sees the finished product and he steps away from the mirror so she can see herself. Sookie gasps in shock when she sees her reflection. Gone is the country girl from the bayou and in her place is a sophisticated woman. The woman in the mirror is a stranger to Sookie because she looks both regal and mysterious, two things Sookie never would have associated with herself. Sookie's chin begins to tremble because she finally sees herself as being worthy of Eric.

"Hooka don't you dare start cryin'," Lafayette orders. "That mascara ain't waterproof and wes don't wants ta ruin yous eyes." Despite his fierce words, Lafayette smiles happily at his friend. "Yous look beautiful Sook."

Sookie rushes to her friend, embracing him tightly in thanks for helping her. "Thank you Lala; I couldn't have done it without you."

Lafayette takes his leave soon after so that Sookie and Eric can be alone. Eric has paced his cubby like a caged animal, longing to see his mate. He heard the exchanges between Sookie and Lafayette and had smiled though he was impatient to gaze upon her with his own eyes. He knows the dress he chose for her tonight is far too elaborate for the ballet, but he wants her to feel like the belle of the ball; Eric wants her to have the chance, just once, to feel like Scarlett O'Hara.

"Damn high-handed vampire," Sookie says with a smile on her face as she stares at her reflection in the mirror, waiting for the moment her vampire can see her.

When the sun finally recedes enough that he can safely climb out of the cubby, Eric vamps up the ladder and through the house, finally coming to a stop outside of the bedroom they had shared. Sookie stands in front of the mirror with her hands nervously smoothing the fabric of her skirt. She accessorizes the dress with the Bvlgari jewelry Eric had given her for the fifth night of Christmas. Her eyes meet Eric's in the mirror and she stands still as she gazes at him shyly. Eric for his part does not move from the doorway. He knew she would look lovely in the dress, but the vision before him far exceeds his expectations. There are no words to describe her loveliness . . . Sookie's beauty is greater than any of the famed paintings in the Louvre, it exceeds the magnificence of the Sistine Chapel, and more awe-inspiring than any of the Seven Wonders of the World. Eric can only stand there and gape at the heavenly vision before him. He has no words to describe the wealth of emotion swirling inside him.

"Eric?" Sookie turns around to look at the man she loves. He stares at her with intense, unnamed emotions swirling in his eyes. His lips part on an inhaled breath that he has yet to release. She goes to take a step towards him.

"Don't," he says raising his hand to stop her. Seeing her confused look, he explains further. "I just want to look at you." Eric moves in the room, crossing the wooden floor to stand a few steps in front of Sookie. His eyes move over every feature of her delectable body. "Lover you are absolutely stunning," he says in the hushed tone one would use while praying in church.

He grabs her hand to help her spin slowly around so that he can see the full effect of the dress on her body. When she is once more facing him, he cups her face in his hands. "Lover you are perfection personified. I am in awe of your beauty." Sookie blushes beautifully at his words and leans up on her toes to kiss him in thanks.

When Eric goes to deepen the kiss, Sookie pulls back reluctantly. "If you do that, we aren't going to leave this room, and this dress is far too pretty to waste," she says petting her dress lovingly.

Eric smirks seeing her petting the dress like she would her kitten. "Are you sure you don't want to yell at me for how much it costs?" He is so pleased she accepted the gift without kicking up a fuss about the price tag associated with it. This bodes well for their future together. He's had a hundred years to spoil Pam; that will look like charity by the time he is finished lavishing his beloved light with tokens of his affection. Though to be honest, he will never stop spoiling her.

Sookie's eyes narrow slightly before she pushes Eric towards the shower. She wouldn't have been able to budge him an inch if he hadn't been willing to move. He grabs his garment bag to take in the shower with him as he walks away laughing.

Eric is pulling the door closed behind them so they can enter the limousine that is waiting to take them to the ballet. He and Sookie have been talking and laughing, easy smiles on their faces. However both of their expressions falter when they see Bill Compton standing at the bottom of the porch steps with a sour expression on his stony face.

"Bill, what are you doing here?" Sookie is the first to recover at seeing her former paramour at the bottom of her steps. It's not that she is unhappy to see him, but he isn't the first person she would have wanted to see at the bottom of her steps. She smiles cordially at him as she lifts her dress so she can easily walk down the steps. Eric is by her side the entire time, her hand tucked firmly in the crook of his elbow. There is no way Eric is going to let Bill have the opportunity to touch Sookie, so he places his body firmly between the woman he loves and his monarch.

"Sookie," Bill says with a gentle smile towards the woman he wants to be his more than anything. His expression quickly changes to outrage when he notices the plain gold band on the ring finger of her left hand. His sources had told him of the gold jewelry Sookie had been wearing of late, but they failed to mention that she was wearing what could be construed as a wedding band on her left hand. His fangs descend and a snarl builds deep in his chest. "What is the meaning of this?"

Sookie startles and shrinks back from Bill, huddling closer to Eric's side. Eric raises an eyebrow at the king's overly hostile gesture, but he remains calm though he longs to destroy the insufferable goat for his blatant sign of disrespect. "My King, forgive us, but we have tickets to the ballet this evening. We do not wish to be late. Now if you will excuse us . . ." Eric really tries to be the bigger man in this instance by ignoring Compton's outburst though he wants nothing more than to rip the fangs from his mouth for his aggressive action.

"You will not leave without my permission, Sheriff! You have no business being near Sookie. I have ordered you to stay away from her, and you have disobeyed me. Sookie is mine!"

Eric growls low in his throat as he prepares to attack. He's never wanted to be a monarch, either as a human or as a vampire, but he'll make the sacrifice if it means the world will never have to hear Compton's ridiculous accent butcher the name of his little fairy. But he should have known that his firecracker wouldn't be content to stand aside and let him take out the trash.

"Bill Compton where do you get off?! I'd rather belong to the dead opossum on the side of the road than ever be yours again! I'm with Eric; I love him and he loves me. If you can't get with the program, then change the fuckin' channel!"

Eric feels a different kind of hunger take over his body as he watches Fairy Sookie come out to play. He loves it when she lets her assertive side out. He has always admired strong women; it's an appreciation that began with his mother. Sookie is a beautiful woman, and he's seen thousands of beautiful women in his existence for one to matter more than another. It was her spirit and determination the evening they met that caught his attention. He was originally going to let Pam handle Bill's insolence that night, but something about Sookie had stayed Eric's hand. He regrets his altruistic act that evening. However, he is enjoying the show his fairy is putting on tonight. He'll step back and let her handle the situation until he feels the need to intervene.

"Sookie, you don't know what you're saying," Bill says in a conciliatory tone. He realizes that he has overstepped by making his demands in front of Sookie. He should have summoned Eric to his home and had his soldiers deal with the issue there. Bill has enough evidence to accuse Eric of treason; after all, he did threaten to end him in a room full of vampires. By dragging this issue out in front of Sookie, Bill has turned her against him. He needs to back pedal now to spin the situation to put him in a positive light. "Darling, you know I only want what's best for you," he begins in a soft tone only to be cut off by her contemptuous snort.

"No Bill, you only want what's best for you," Sookie retorts. "Now you heard Eric; we have tickets to the ballet and we're gonna be late. So if you don't have anythin' important to say, then get off my property!"

Bill bites back the snarl and the urge to drag her to his side. She needs to learn her place, and that's by his side! Bill takes a step towards the tow-headed duo, and that's the last thing he does before a brilliant white light flashes out from Sookie's hands. The force of the light sends Bill hurtling back towards the woods that lead to the cemetery, his body leaving divots in the ground where it bumps along the ground. When Bill skids to a halt, he stares with his fangs down as Sookie marches to the waiting limousine. She enters the passenger area of the vehicle with Eric close behind her. The Viking vampire stands beside the open door with his eyes locked on Bill. Eric smirks at seeing his monarch covered in grass stains, dead leaves, and twigs. With an exaggerated motion, he mouths the word "Mine" before settling in the back of the vehicle. Once the door is closed, the limousine rolls slowly away, leaving the King of Louisiana to stew.


	8. Merry Christmas Darling

Sookie is on cloud nine. The ballet was the most spectacular thing she had ever seen. She and Eric had a private box for the show. During intermission, a bottle of champagne and appetizers had appeared for her while Eric had a glass of blood. Eric had enjoyed feeding the appetizers to her. His gaze had become more and more heated as her mouth accidentally sucked on his fingers or her tongue licked along his skin. And she was sure he was going to explode when her teeth had nibbled the tip of his finger. But Eric remained the perfect gentleman, save for the obvious erection in his pants that he needed to adjust before watching the second half of the ballet. As Sookie watched _The Nutcracker_, she laid her head against his shoulder and linked her fingers with his, completely and utterly happy, blissfully unaware of the minds battering against her shields thanks to Eric's silence.

After the show, Eric whisked her away to a late dinner at _La Nuit Noire_, a posh restaurant that you needed reservations six months in advance to get in. Of course, Eric walked right in without a reservation and was shown to a private room for their use. After sampling the finest French cuisine had to offer, Eric led her back to the limousine. Sookie had rested in the comfort of Eric's arms, as he pressed soft kisses along her hair and neck. They weren't meant to stir her passions, they were to show how much he loved her, treasured her, and valued her above all others. Sookie nestled against his chest, feeling completely content.

She must have dozed off on the ride home because the next thing she remembers is Eric's lips on hers. "Wake up Sleeping Beauty," Eric murmurs against her lips. Sookie blinks sleepily, bringing Eric's handsome face in focus. He is looking down at her softly, his blue eyes twinkling with love. "We're home," he whispers placing another kiss against her lips.

When Eric pulls back, Sookie lifts her arms up, stretches, and yawns cutely. He smiles and chuckles, finding her completely adorable. Eric opens the door and climbs out of the car. He looks around to make sure everything is as it should be before reaching his hand in to help Sookie exit.

She reaches for his hand, laughing as she climbs awkwardly out of the car. "They make it look so easy on the red carpet. I feel like I have a bell around my hips. How the hell did women ever do this on a daily basis?" Sookie smiles up at Eric, thanking him for helping her out of the car as gracefully as possible. Eric links his fingers with hers, tugging her around the vehicle towards the house. Sookie's eyes are on the ground, her mind a riot of thoughts of what's going to happen next. She and Eric haven't been intimate since he had been without his memories. They had come close the night before but no cigar. Her cheeks flame as she thinks tonight might have a decidedly more pleasurable outcome.

Eric can feel the lust through their bond and wishes he can reciprocate, but there is one more gift for Sookie to receive tonight. It is after midnight, making it Christmas Eve, the eleventh night of Christmas. He nods his head, indicating it's time for Sookie's next present to begin.

Sookie gasps as the sounds of _Silent Night_ fill the air. Her head whips up to look at the group of eleven carolers dressed in authentic Victorian period costume with faux snow swirling in the air. Eric wraps his arms around Sookie's waist from behind, his hands resting on her stomach to pull her back against his chest. "I don't know about you, but I had no interest in eleven pipers piping. I thought this would be far more fitting," he says resting his head on top of hers. "Merry Christmas Sookie," he leans down to whisper in her ear before placing a kiss on her exposed shoulder. Eric moves out from behind her, leading her over to the area he'd had staged outdoors. There is a fur rug, settee for the two of them to sit on, a roaring fire, and a table beside the couch with a mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream and a peppermint stick for Sookie to enjoy. Eric wraps a plush velvet blanket around Sookie's shoulders before pulling her in his arms to enjoy the carolers beside a roaring fire with the snow falling around them.

Sookie nestles against Eric's body enjoying this wonderful display of the holiday season. Eric had done so much to show her how much he loves her. It's time that she returns the favor.

Christmas Eve begins with Sookie once again waking up in Eric's arms inside the cubby. She wishes she could snuggle in Eric's arms but she has things to do. She has a Christmas present to plan! While she had lounged in Eric's arms listening to the carolers, she had thought long and hard about what to get for her vampire. It has to be something spectacular; something he will never be able to give himself. She wants to do this because he has done so much for her in these last two weeks. It's not about the gifts, though she has appreciated each one. These last eleven days have proven to Sookie that Eric really loves her for her. It isn't just about lust, though there is plenty of that. Sookie blushes furiously as she thinks of how Eric had enjoyed helping her undress before they went to bed. It had been necessary after all; she wouldn't have been able to get out of that dress on her own. And those stockings and garters are trickier than you would think. She would have been stuck in them all night if it hadn't been for Eric's careful ministrations and tender touch. Her blush deepens when she thinks of how attentive Eric had been.

"Just you wait Cowboy," Sookie says pressing a kiss to Eric's chest. "I hope you like what I've got planned for you tonight." With a last kiss to Eric's chest, she wiggles her way out of his arms. She rushes out of the cubby, securely locking the doors behind her before scampering upstairs to shower. She's got errands to run before Jason and the others show up for Christmas Eve dinner and she's got to see someone about Eric's final gift.

Eric's eyes snap open to the sounds of Christmas carols and Sookie's off-key singing ringing in his ears. He chuckles when he realizes the daydream he'd had of her was correct: she can't carry a tune in a bucket with the lid on it. He hurries to dress in the spare clothing Bobby had included in his garment bag and removes Sookie's final present from his inner coat pocket. He sits down on the bed as he gazes at the final present. Eric gazes at the jewelry box with a faraway look in his eyes. This is something he had commissioned with the jeweler the night he'd began planning his twelve days of Christmas, and Bobby had included it in the garment bag as Eric had requested. If Sookie agrees to this, there will be no going back for either of them. He now realizes that an existence without Sookie is a fate worse than the True Death. He will never let her go again.

Whatever she is cooking in the kitchen actually smells appealing to him. Cinnamon, apples, and sugar are the strongest scents but there is also the fainter smells of honey and vanilla. Eric realizes he'd never asked Sookie what her plans were for Christmas Eve. He's sure that she will want to spend time with her brother and friends between today and tomorrow, but where does that leave him? And what of his own progeny? Pam will kill him if he misses Christmas with her, not that she doesn't already know what she is getting. She'd sent him a detailed email stating that only the items on the list she'd provided were acceptable gifts. _Brat_, he chuckled with humor. He should have given her only items purchased at the Dollar Store instead of buying her what she all but demanded. As it was, he used the cheapest, gaudiest wrapping paper he could find knowing that she would cringe with horror at having to touch it. Knowing his progeny as he does, she's probably wrapped his presents in _Thor_ wrapping paper to annoy him. It's alright; he already has her punishment in place and can't wait to see it set in motion on New Year's Eve.

Eric's cell phone buzzes with a new text message.

Sookie: _Merry Christmas Eric!_

Eric: _Merry Christmas to you Lover. Come down here so I can greet you properly._

He chuckles as he hears the sound of scampering feet heading towards his cubby doors. Eric moves towards the ladder so he can watch Sookie's backside as the muscles tighten and release as she climbs down the steps. Sookie's head is the first thing to peak through when she opens the cubby door. She smiles down at him happily before quickly squeezing her body in the tight space and pulling the door closed. Eric watches hungrily as she climbs down the few steps, suddenly feeling the need to have her body wrapped around his as they find ecstasy in each other's arms. Eric crowds her against the ladder when she is at the bottom, molding his larger frame against hers as he uses the rungs of the ladder to cage her in his arms. His lips capture hers in a kiss full of need and love.

Sookie lets herself get lost in the kiss for a few moments, surrendering her mouth to Eric's voracious demands. When his hands slip under the hem of her red Christmas sweater is when Sookie tears her lips away from his.

"Nuh-uh Buster. I've got an apple pie in the oven and it needs to come out in a few minutes. I'm not gonna let it burn 'cause you want an appetizer before the main course."

Eric stares at her dumbfounded for a moment as her words sink in. "Lover," he says hoarsely, "what exactly are you saying?" There are a few ways her words can be taken and he wants there to be no misunderstanding between them.

Sookie blushes as she sweeps her eyes down from his intense gaze. "I just thought, maybe I could feed you later so you could have a Christmas meal you'd enjoy," she mumbles shyly.

Eric lifts her chin so that he can look in her beautiful eyes. The emotion in her eyes makes the lighter flecks in her irises look gold. "I am humbled and honored that you wish to feed me," Eric says his voice thick with emotion. Never before has he had Sookie's blood when it hasn't been because of extreme circumstances. He has had her blood a total of four times: twice the day he tricked Russell to meet the sun, once after the necromancer tried to have all vampires walk in the sun, and the last time after a possessed Lafayette tried to burn him at the stake. Though her blood has been offered to him freely three of the four times he has had it, he has longed to experience her blood under more pleasurable circumstances.

"That's one of your Christmas presents," she says with a sly smile.

"Lover you didn't have to get me anything," Eric admonishes.

She snorts in response. "Yeah right Buddy. You think I'm not gonna get you anything after all the wonderful things you've given me, you've got another thing coming. They may not be as fancy as what you've given me, but each gift does mean something to me."

Eric squeezes her in his arms, touched beyond words that she has gotten him anything. "Thank you Lover. I will love them because they came from you." Eric goes to kiss Sookie again, but an incessant beeping interrupts his plans.

"Oh, the pie! Let me outta here!" Sookie scampers up the ladder and hurries through the cubby door, slamming it shut with a resounding bang. Eric chuckles as he goes back to the bed, waiting for the sun to set so he can celebrate his first Christmas with his beloved.

When Eric finally is free of his light-tight surroundings, he walks in to what can only be described as a smorgasbord. Platters of food line the dining room table with more food waiting to be brought out from the kitchen. The strangest sight though was that of Jason Stackhouse sitting in the chair opposite the cubby waiting for him to rise.

"Hey man," Jason says awkwardly as he rises from the chair with a beer in his hand. Eric nods his head at Jason, wondering where Sookie has run off to.

"Sook's upstairs gettin' changed. I mighta spilled gravy on her sweater by accident," he says sheepishly. "But I wanted a chance to talk to ya. Man to man if you will," he says gesturing between the two of them.

"What is it Jason?" Eric had mixed feelings about the elder Stackhouse sibling, but for Sookie he will try to tolerate him.

"I know I ain't always been the best brother to Sook, but she's all I got left and I want what's best for her. I don't think I've ever seen her as happy as she's been the last week or so, and I know its cause a' you. So," he extends his hand to Eric, "you're alright in my book as long as you keep my sister happy."

Eric puts his hand in Jason's, not exactly comfortable with the human custom of shaking hands. When he would have pulled away, Jason squeezes his hand as tightly as he possibly can. "You hurt her though, and I'll find a way ta kill ya!" Jason releases Eric's hand and takes a long swallow of his beer before he wonders to the dining room where all the food is spread out.

"Jason Stackhouse don't you dare touch any of that food!" Sookie's voice drifts down the stairs in warning to her brother. Jason whines a bit as he sulks out of the dining room, though Eric notices he managed to snag a piece of pink colored meat. Jason looks at Eric and mouths "Not a word" to the vampire. Jason hurriedly chews the food as the sound of Sookie's heels hitting the stairs fills the air. When she comes back in the room, Eric smiles with appreciation. She is wearing a black sheath dress with a red cardigan. No hose this time, but her legs look amazing with the black high heels on her feet. Eric has definite ideas of how to use those high heels to his advantage later.

Sookie walks towards Eric, giving him a quick kiss before stepping away. "I hope you don't mind, but I invited Pam to join us. I didn't know what y'all did for the holidays, but I thought you'd want her here. Not that you have to stay here if you have something else to do," Sookie hurries to add. Eric silences her attempt at backpedaling by kissing her again.

"Thank you Lover. I will call her so she can bring her gifts here to open. Are you sure you want her here?"

"Eric, she's your family. Of course she should be here," Sookie says with a smile. She walks towards the dining room, slapping her brother in the head when walking past him.

"What the hell Sook?" Jason rubs the back of his head and looks at his sister outraged.

"That's for the piece of ham you swiped from the table. I told you not to touch it," she says loftily.

"You told her!" Jason turns his outrage on Eric who raises his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Jason, you were in the room the whole time. Did you hear him say anything?" Sookie rolls her eyes at her brother's stupidity.

"Well then how'd ya know?" Jason looks perplexed as he glances at his sister.

Sookie rolls her eyes at her brother. "You were thinkin' 'bout it so loud I'm pretty sure Eric could have heard you."

Hours later, Sookie's home is overflowing with friends and family. At first, Eric had felt wary of all the people that walked in the house, particularly since some of them have either tried to kill him or fight with him at some point in the not too recent past. However, no one was overly rude to him. In fact, the Were and the Shifter were actually cordial to him. Herveaux had even gone so far to say he was glad to see Eric pull his head out of his ass. The only tense moment was when Pam arrived and saw Tara in the house. Tara had returned to New Orleans after everything went down with the necromancer. She'd managed to patch things up with her girlfriend and had brought her back to Bon Temps to celebrate the holiday. However, Pam had been the one to step up and say everything was in the past, saying to let bi-girls be bi-girls. Somehow, Jason hadn't put it together that Tara was here with her girlfriend, but having heard that from Pam he is now trying to convince the two lesbians to let him be the meat in their pussy sandwich.

"I'm proud of you," Eric tells his progeny when she makes her way to his side. He gives her a kiss on the forehead and lets his pride and happiness with her flood their bond.

Pam smirks. "Proud enough to let me have your credit card for the after Christmas sales?"

Eric shakes his head. "I think you have more than enough from your presents this evening. By the way, where are your presents?"

"I already opened them," she says drily. At Eric's raised eyebrow, she shrugs. "What? I was being practical and opened all of them at your house before moving them to mine. No sense bringing them all the way out here to take them all the way back," she says as if it were the most sensible thing in the world. "Besides, I had to air everything out because it smells of cheap wrapping paper," she says in disgust.

"And you didn't think your maker would want to see you open the presents?" In truth, Eric doesn't care, but he can't let his brat off the hook so easily. "I should return everything because of your insolence," Eric threatens.

"But you won't," Pam says confidently.

"What makes you say that?"

"You'll see why later," Pam smirks. "Sookie and I have a joint gift for you." She slips an envelope in his hand. "This one is all from me though. And really it's for both you and Sookie."

Eric gestures for Sookie to join him. She slips away from the friends she is talking to and stops by her Christmas tree, picking up a small box from underneath the tree. She joins the two vampires, handing the silver-wrapped package with the red bow to Pam before wrapping her arms around Eric's waist. "Hey Pam, thanks for coming. I got you a little something. I hope you like it."

"Lover Pam got us a present." Eric slides open the envelope and stares in puzzlement at the cashier's check inside. With a furrowed brow, he shows the check to Sookie, whose eyes bug out of her head at the amount. "Pam, explain yourself. Why are you giving us a check?"

"I'm buying you out of Fangtasia. Now that you and Sookie are together, I figured the last thing you wanted to do was spend your time sitting on a throne enthralling the vermin. And I can't imagine Sookie wants to watch the vermin throwing themselves at you. You can still use the office for area business until you find a better place or you can keep it there if you like. I thought this was something you would both want," she says with a shrug as the new couple stand shell-shocked.

"Damn, all I got her was a bottle of perfume," Sookie says after the shock wears off. She rushes Pam, squeezing the female vampire in an enthusiastic hug. Pam stands stock still, unsure of what to do with the fairy hugging her tightly. If it was anyone but her maker's mate, she would either drain them dry or cop a feel. Actually . . .

"Don't even think of putting that hand where it's heading," Eric growls out as Sookie releases his progeny from her embrace. Sookie smiles seeing Pam's half outraged half pouting expression. Eric looks at his progeny with unnamed emotion swirling in his eyes. "Pamela, I do not know what to say," he begins though his voice trails off as gratitude for her thoughtful gift rises up to choke him.

"Remember that gratitude when you see your American Express bill next month," Pam says with a smirk.

By the time all the last guests leave Sookie's home, it is nearly midnight. As time dragged on, Eric had become more and more impatient for everyone to leave because he was salivating at the thought of feeding from Sookie. His fangs have been aching for the last hour at the thought of Sookie's divine taste once again on his lips. With the last guest gone, Eric had dimmed the lights in the living room and built up a fire while Sookie finished the last of the dishes. Eric sits with unbridled anticipation as he waits for Sookie to join him on the couch.

Sookie turns off the light in the kitchen, carrying a glass of wine in her hand as she moves to sit beside Eric on the couch. He pulls her close, capturing her lips in a tender kiss, her lips part with a sigh letting his tongue sweep inside to taste the sweetness of the wine. Eric moans softly and shifts on the couch, moving to push Sookie back against the cushions.

"Wait," she says breathlessly. "You haven't opened your presents yet," she says as she wiggles out of his grasp.

"There's only one present I want to unwrap at the moment," Eric says with a slight growl.

Sookie shivers in anticipation as his growled words go straight to her pleasure center. She wants nothing more than to rip the clothes from his body and again feel the pleasure that only Eric has brought her. But she has a plan, and she needs to stick with it. It will not be much longer, a half hour more at the most.

Sookie walks to the Christmas tree, retrieving the final three presents under it. She places the three presents on the cushion beside Eric and steps back nervously. "Merry Christmas Eric. Open the big box first."

Eric grasps the box in his hands and shakes it slightly. Despite his blasé attitude, Eric loves presents! Before this night, it has been a long time since someone had surprised him with presents. Usually the presents Pam gave him were the latest designer fashions, nothing that really excited him. Eager to see what his beloved has gotten him, Eric tears through the wrapping and flings the box open. Sookie laughs at his apparent glee and laughs harder when she sees his puzzlement over the light blue cashmere sweater in his hands.

"I thought you looked exceptionally handsome when you were wearing that in Jackson," Sookie says with a blush. "I like the way it brings out the blue of your eyes."

"Thank you. I will wear it for you soon," Eric says with a smile. He reaches for the watch-sized box and shakes it too, perplexed by the sound of metal hitting glass inside it. Like before, Eric rips through the packaging like the Tasmanian Devil until he is holding a glass vial containing a flattened silver bullet. Eric turns confused eyes to Sookie. "Lover?"

"That's one of the bullets I sucked out of you in Dallas," Sookie says solemnly.

"You kept it? Why?"

Sookie shrugs. "I don't know, but it seemed important at the time. I think even then a part of me knew that I cared about you. That's why it hurt so much to learn you'd tricked me."

"I hated not knowing you were in danger," Eric says darkly. "I know you hated me for doing it, but I was desperate. I _needed, _even then, to know you were safe."

"I know," Sookie says softly. "I figured it out eventually," she says squeezing his hand. "I'm giving it back to you now so that you will know I will do everything in my power to keep you safe," Sookie vows.

Eric leans forward, bestowing a gentle kiss on Sookie's lips. "And I will do the same for you," he says resting his forehead against hers. The only sound for the next few minutes is the crackling of the fire and the deep breaths Sookie pulls into her chest. Eric is content to rub his face against Sookie's, letting the feel of her skin and her scent soothe him as he tries to bring his rioting emotions under control. Her words have humbled him and he feels so much love for the wondrous woman in his arms that he fears he is drowning in it.

"You still have one more gift to open," Sookie says softly, gesturing to the last flat package on the table. Eric places a kiss on Sookie's lips before leaning back against the sofa cushions. Sookie hands him the box, her tiny hands shaking slightly as he takes the package from her. Eric ponders what could be inside the box no bigger than a bracelet given the amount of weight to it. This present he does not rip through the wrapping paper; instead he takes his time because he can sense that it is extremely important to Sookie. He wonders why there is nervousness coming through their bond. When he gets through the paper, he finds a black velvet box like one would for jewelry. But Eric knows there is no jewelry inside; now that the paper is off he can sense magic coming from the package and not just any magic but Fae magic. Carefully, Eric opens the box to reveal an ornate dagger with a gold hilt and jewels embedded in the handle. Eric's lips part as he looks at the beautiful weapon. This weapon isn't designed for battle; it is designed for a ritual of some sort.

"While you were gone, I met more of my Fae kin," Sookie begins softly. "Well, I'd already met one of them while I was in the Fae realm, but that's a different story," she says waving off Eric's curiosity. "My cousin Claude introduced me to the patriarch of our Fae line. He's my great-grandfather actually: Niall Brigant."

"Prince of the Sky Fae," Eric states bemused.

Sookie scrunches her nose up in annoyance. "Yeah he mentioned that a few times and said that makes me royalty too. I told him where he could stick that where the sun don't shine," she says heatedly which causes Eric to chuckle.

"Anyway, Niall explained a lot of things to me, things I should have known all along; things about how the Supernatural world works." Sookie looks angry for a moment and Eric has a sinking feeling that some, if not all, of that anger is directed at him. "He told me _all_ the effects of vampire blood in my body, and what my Fae blood means to a vampire. He also explained to me the difference between a blood tie and a blood bond. He could sense that I had a blood bond with one vampire and a tie with yet another. Grandfather offered me the option of having both threads severed," Sookie says gravely.

"But you didn't," Eric states though it is really more of a question. If she could have been rid of all vampire entanglement, why hadn't she?

"I got rid of the tie with Bill," she says with disgust. "Niall explained he should have never given me his blood after having formed the bond with you. He said it was a blood offense and that's why my body worked so hard to reject it. The only reason my body finally accepted it was because I was dyin'."

"I wanted to come to you; I felt your pain as if it were my own. But the witch . . ." Eric's voice trails off as Sookie places her finger over his lips and shushes him softly.

"I know Eric," she says with a soft smile. However her smile fades and she drops her finger from his lips. "Did you mean to bond with me that day in the cubby?"

Eric nods his head. "I meant what I said. We would be one," he says with conviction.

"And I turned my back on what we started," Sookie says sadly. "I didn't know what it meant, why I was aching for you when we were apart. When you were in New Orleans, I thought the pain was gonna kill me. Niall did something to help lessen my pain but it didn't go away; he couldn't fix a broken heart. And then when Bill told me . . ." Her voice trails off as her eyes fill with tears and she works hard to bring her emotions under control.

"Sookie, I'm sorry," Eric begins only to have Sookie interrupt him.

"_I'm _sorry," she says in earnest. "I have no one to blame but myself. Then when you came back I thought maybe you would come see me, but you didn't. I thought maybe it was over for good," she whispers brokenly and Eric feels her pain in the bond. He wishes he could take it all away, erase their separation from both of their memories. He even wishes he could go back in time to the night she rejected him so he could follow after her, arguing with her that they were meant to be; that _this_ was not a passing fancy. He would have kidnapped her if he had to so that she would finally see reason and accept that _he _loves _her. _

But then a smile lights up her face and he feels warmth and happiness through the bond. "But then you wrote me that letter and gave me a gift that was from the heart. You've shown me these last twelve nights that you love all of me, even when I'm being a pain in the ass," she says with a watery smile. "You _get_ me, even when I don't always understand myself. So that's why I would like to give you this last present."

Sookie expels a large breath before continuing. "It's not always going to be easy, and I'm sure that some sort of danger is lurking right around the corner, but I can't envision spending my life without you. So I'm asking you, Eric Northman, if you will complete the bond with me and be my pledged mate. The dagger you are holding belongs to my family. Niall said that when a Fae takes a mate, it is for eternity and they share their light. Since we can't really do that, he said he would be honored if we used the family dagger to complete our bond and also use it during our pledging ceremony," Sookie says with a blush.

Eric stares at her dumbfounded for a moment. He is completely in shock. But then the most wondrous feeling of joy spreads through him. He feels lighter than he ever has before, as if the weight of his thousand year journey has been erased. He smiles jubilantly before erupting into laughter. Sookie stares at him in confusion. She knows he isn't laughing at her or what she said, but she can't for the life of her figure out what is so funny about this.

Still chuckling, Eric reaches inside his jacket to retrieve her final present. He hands her the small box and she stares at it quizzically. "Open it," he says with a smile. "I think you'll find your answer in there."

With her brow still furrowed, Sookie bends her head to begin unwrapping the tiny box. What could possibly be inside the box that would give her an answer? The size of the box makes unwrapping it difficult, and Sookie fights with the tape and paper. She looks to Eric for help, but he shakes his head, indicating that this time she has to fight the evil wrapping paper all on her own. With a huff, Sookie finally fights her way through the paper to find a black velvet box. There are no designer logos on the box this time, so she legitimately doesn't know what to expect.

When she flips open the lid, Sookie gasps in awe. She asks in a hushed tone, "What is this?"

"I believe humans refer to that as an engagement ring," Eric says in a teasing voice. Sookie gasps again as she locks eyes briefly with Eric before returning her attention to the ring nestled in its velvet holder. When she continues to stare in shock, Eric begins explaining the significance of the ring to her. "There are twelve stones in your ring, because tonight is the twelfth night. I wanted you to have a ring that has meaning to the both of us," he says softly as he plucks the box out of Sookie's hands. Picking the ring up, Eric grabs Sookie's left hand which is still in midair as if she continues to hold the box. With a sense of certainty and rightness, he slides the ring down her finger. He holds her hand as they both watch the diamonds reflect the firelight.

"Lover as usual you surprise me. I had an entire speech rehearsed in my head, but you beat me to the punch," he says with a rueful smile. "I love you Sookie. Will you be my bonded, my pledged, and my wife?" Eric looks at her with eyes filled with hope and love.

Sookie shakes her head enthusiastically before shouting, "Yes!" Eric laughs as he rises to his feet, pulling Sookie in his arms as his lips descend to claim hers. Her hands fist in his hair as his hands settle along the small of her back. The passionate embrace they share burns hotter than the flames of the fire. Eric's hands push against Sookie's cardigan trying to force it down her arms without success since her hands are grabbing his neck and shoulders. When Eric's hands move as if to tear the offensive garment from her, Sookie jumps out of his embrace.

"None of that Cowboy; I happen to like this sweater and dress." Eric growls his displeasure at having her out of his arms, and reaches for her again. Sookie dances out of his reach and moves towards the stairs. "I have one more gift for you, but I'm gonna need a few minutes. You stay here though," she says pointing to the sofa. "I'll be back as soon as I can." She waits for Eric to comply with her request before hurrying up the stairs, her heels clicking loudly against the floor.

Eric sits impatiently on the lumpy piece of furniture as requested, his hands flexing repeatedly as he tries to keep his desire in check. All he wants to do is fly up the stairs and pin Sookie against the nearest surface as he enters her body. Then at the moment when they are both ready to fall over the edge, he wants to complete the second bond, torpedoing them into that euphoric state of ecstasy where anything is possible. And when that high fades, he wants to do it again, completing the bond that will truly make them one.

The sound of Sookie's heels on the stairs again has Eric straightening from his slumped position on the couch. He is curious as to what this gift is. How does she think to top the gift of agreeing to be his? And what of the gift that Pam helped Sookie with?

Sookie has descended the stairs and walks with slow, purposeful strides towards the living room. When she appears in the doorway, Eric's fangs drop and he growls hungrily at his final present. Sookie walks forward seductively, an extra sway in her walk. She is wearing the heels that Eric had fantasized about earlier and nothing else save for twelve red ribbons wrapped strategically around her body with a large red bow covering her womanhood.

Sookie winks saucily at Eric as she stands with a hand on her hip. "Do you want to unwrap your last present? We still need to make sure you're fed tonight. Maybe we can complete the second bond this evening for your dessert." Sookie's throaty laughter fills the air as Eric launches himself at her, wanting very much to unwrap his present so he can enjoy what's underneath.

It's the first of many Christmases for Mr. and Mrs. Northman, but it is by far the most memorable.

_~ The End_


End file.
